Local Places for Nature

This is the capital funding programme set up in 2020 by Welsh Government to help ‘halt and reverse the decline of biodiversity’ in Wales. Under Section 6 of The Environment (Wales) Act 2016 all public bodies have a statutory duty to report on how they are maintaining and enhancing biodiversity. We want to see all our Member Councils taking part and encourage their community to get involved in this exciting scheme.

As Community and Town Councils, you are well placed to develop the environmental wellbeing of the areas you serve, and One Voice Wales is uniquely placed to help you deliver the Local Places for Nature Programme.

Welsh Government has declared a climate emergency and enacted a nature recovery plan. We want to help our councils take part in creating: ‘Nature on the doorstep’ for your communities and leaving a legacy for future generations. Our shared experiences during the Covid pandemic had shone a spotlight on the importance of nature and green spaces in our communities and the vital role of local democratic bodies like yours.

There are various sources of funding available under this programme which will give you an opportunity to implement projects to increase biodiversity and change your communities for the future.

The Biodiversity Team within One Voice Wales can help all Community and Town Councils to facilitate these types of projects. We are your specialist point of contact; from generating the initial ideas, getting community engagement, making a successful bid for capital funding and setting up and maintaining the projects.

Local Places for Nature 2025-2027

One Voice Wales Biodiversity Packages

We are very excited to introduce a selection of biodiversity packages new for 2025.

Please view all the packages here.

These packages are designed to provide the resources and support your Council needs to deliver Biodiversity enhancements. The application form is straightforward and if successful we will provide all the materials, deliver on site and support installation on the agreed day. All you need to provide is some willing volunteers.

The application process is as follows:

We are also holding some Webinars during September to introduce the new look team and explain how these packages will work:

Keep Wales Tidy Packages

Keep Wales Tidy offers a range of free garden packages. If your Council would like to apply for any of these packages please contact us in the first instance to discuss your needs and requirements. We can offer support and advice on the application process to ensure your Council’s application has the best chance at being successful.

Local Nature Partnerships

Your Local Nature Partnership will have grant funding available for Community & Town Councils. This varies between the different LNPs. We will keep you up to date with any grant offers and can advise you on potential project funding.

Local Places for Nature 2020-2025

From 2020 to 2025, the 5 year programme was organised into the 5 main areas shown on the diagram below:

The Community and Town Council sector have significantly contributed to meeting the objectives of the Local Places for Nature programme. Since 2020 the sector has accessed over £1.5million of the capital funding, installed more than 400 Keep Wales Tidy packages and worked with their Local Nature Partnerships (LNPS) to create, enhance, and restore biodiversity and deliver nature on the doorstep for their communities.

The map below shows you the location of all the projects being delivered by Community & Town Councils:

Google Map of Council Projects

Here is a small selection of the successfully completed Local Places for Nature projects. Click on each one to view the Case Study:

2020-2021: Criccieth Town Council / Llandrindod Wells Town Council /
Cwmaman Town Council, Llanon Community Council & Llanedi Community Council

2021-22: Pontypridd Town Council / Betws Community Council

2022-23: Llanelli Town Council / Llanelli Rural Council

These are the most recent projects that are currently in progress:

Bay of Colwyn Town Council
Caldicot Town Council
Llanedi Community Council
Llantwit Major Town Council
Machynlleth Town Council
Mumbles Community Council
Pembrey & Burry Port Town Council
Pennard Community Council

View the Case Studies below:

To find out more about the programme, you can view the video below that was shown at The Senedd Showcase event on 29.11.24.

Senedd Showcase Event 2024

On Wednesday 27 November 2024, One Voice Wales held a very successful showcase exhibition at The Senedd building in Cardiff Bay.

One Voice Wales would like to thank Carolyn Thomas MS for her kind sponsorship and support of the event. It was fantastic to have Local Places for Nature promoted, and the event discussed during First Minister’s Questions in the chamber the previous day. Thank you to both Carolyn and the First Minister for such a positive representation.

The aim of the event was to showcase the amazing contribution of Community & Town Councils across Wales to the Local Places for Nature funding programme. It offered a unique opportunity for Senedd Members, programme partners and members of the public to view a selection of successful Local Places for Nature projects and to talk to the volunteers involved.

There were seven exhibitions on display from the following Councils:

The One Voice Wales exhibition showcased many other successful projects and those currently in progress. It also offered an opportunity to learn about the wider role One Voice Wales plays in driving the Biodiversity agenda within the Community and Town Council sector through our Local Places for Nature Officer. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that helped prepare and deliver this event, and to all those who came along to support us on the day.

Have a look at the videos on our YouTube channel shown below.

This video was playing on the screens throughout the event, which has lots of information about the Local Places for Nature funding programme, as well as videos from some of the projects and other One Voice Wales events:

A video showing the highlights of the event:

The discussion at First Minister’s Questions 26.11.24: