Green Minds Plymouth is an Urban Innovative Actions project funded by European Regional Development Fund. The project aims to put nature at the heart of decision-making in Plymouth, inspiring green thinking in everything we do.
By working with nature, we help wildlife as well as improving our physical and mental wellbeing along the way. A win-win situation all round!
I work closely with staff at Plymouth City Council (who are the lead partner on Green Minds) to organise training and other events. I want to inspire people to connect with nature and show them that they don’t have to be an expert to make a difference. There are many brilliant community organisations in Plymouth, so I have been working with some of them to provide support and information, as well as training in things like how to carry out simple monitoring of the plants in their local patch.
Other exciting projects include improving meadows in the east of the city and supporting a new community tree nursery at Derriford Community Park. I’m also involved with trials to look at options for removing unwanted vegetation without using chemicals. We know that using pesticides has a harmful effect on our precious insect populations, which in turn affects other wildlife.
Why is nature in Plymouth important?
Plymouth has many green spaces which all have the potential to support more wildlife, for example, by creating meadow areas and more space for wildlife such as insects. The traditional mindset of ‘tidy equals good’ has meant that there is little space for wildlife in cities. The wider countryside is under pressure from building and agricultural practices, so cities are a vital space for wildlife. Small changes, such as less grass cutting, and sowing wildflower meadow seed, along with raising awareness of the benefits to people and wildlife can make a huge difference.
Plymouth has many wonderful parks, all loved by locals, so it’s hard to choose. I always enjoy visiting Central Park, as its sheer size means that there is always something to see along with people enjoying all sorts of activities. The meadows, woods and hedges within the park provide a great variety of habitat. Then other parks like Blockhouse Park are more peaceful and boast wonderful views of the sea and city.
Dave Gregory
Although I haven’t seen it myself yet, it’s thrilling to know that the rare White-Letter Hairstreak Butterfly is found in Central Park, living and breeding in elm trees. Due to Dutch Elm Disease these lovely butterflies have been in decline for decades but are now starting to recover in a few areas, thanks to conservation efforts.
DWT/Green Minds Plymouth
Before working on Green Minds, I hadn’t realised just how much green space there is in Plymouth, and how many different groups are dedicated to making their local community the best it can be! My role is to support and encourage these inspiring groups and leaders, connect them with others and to empower people to realise they can make a difference.
Photo, Paul Harris/2020VISION
Window boxes and pots on balcony can be wonderful for attracting pollinating insects too. Find out what’s going on in your local park or join one of the many organisations who care for Plymouth’s green spaces. Look out for events in 2023 on the Green Minds Plymouth website or take a look at the resources available online (see links below) to point you in the right direction.
Small actions by everyone, such as leaving part of their garden to become wild or creating a pond, can have a big impact when all joined together.
