Community Action

Here at RWT we work to support individuals and groups who want to make positive change in their community. A blog witten by Community Organising Manager, Jenny Mottershead.

Nature needs us now more than ever. The scale of the task can often seem overwhelming, it requires policy change and work at a landscape scale. And whilst it can often feel out of our control, there are things that each one of us can do to make Radnorshire better for nature, ourselves, and our community.

First and foremost, we must think of ourselves as citizens. Each one of us has the ability to actively shape the world around us. We must remember that people have power, especially when we come together, build momentum and act to make positive change. This can happen at lots of different scales. It could be a group of neighbours all planting nectar rich plants in their garden, a group improving a communal area, campaigning against the use of neonicotinoids or coming together to purchase community land.

Here at RWT we work to support individuals and groups who want to make positive change in their community. It can be hard to know where to start, or how to meet others who want to do the same so we’re working to take some of the uncertainty out of it.

One way that we have done this is through the creation of the Llandrindod Talking Shop. A temporary space where the community could come together, share their views on the town and sign up to take action. The shop, open for 6 days saw over 200 people share their views, ideas and hopes for the town. We worked to make the space as inclusive as possible and will continue to gather views from individuals and groups who weren’t able to make it. Of course, much of what was said and discussed didn’t have nature at the crux of it. People talked about their desire to meet others, about anti-social behaviour, things for young people to do or the lack of shops on the high street.

We’re not going to pretend that RWT can work to fix all of these things. We can’t. But we can do more than you might think. Nature and wildlife have so many benefits; it brings people together, makes people feel calmer and happier, and gives people purpose. Nature could be the tool we use to achieve many positive outcomes for our communities.

Child playing outdoors — Matthew Roberts

And of course, its not just about people. Exposure to our natural environment, connecting with it and understanding it better will all increase the likelihood that people will care and want to act for nature. Small acts that benefit nature can add up to have a real positive impact. In urban areas small gardens can be as beneficial to pollinators as large gardens. It’s not the size that matters but the plants and flowers that are found within them (1). And it’s not just gardens. Public parks, allotments, alley ways, verges and play parks could all be better for nature. Increasing the amount of land managed with nature in mind could radically transform our cities and towns for both nature and people.

We understand that not everyone is ready, able, or inclined to fundraise for community land or start a new community group. For those who are, we are here, ready to support them. For those who aren’t (but would like to be), we can work together to build confidence and skills, start small and build up, however long that might take.

Jenny Mottershead - Community Organising Manager, NextdoorNature

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