Plan to bring Britain's rarest tree back among six nature recovery projects in Oxfordshire
The projects aim to restore habitats and build resilience to extreme weather
Plans to bring Britain's rarest tree species back, restore chalk grassland in the Cotswolds and revive a wildflower meadow in Eynsham are among six nature recovery projects identified for further work in the county.
The projects are being launched by Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership (OLNP) and are the first in a portfolio that will eventually include 15 initiatives.
Oxfordshire County Council is working with the OLNP, following the partnership that led to the publication of the local nature recovery strategy (LNRS).
The six projects
The OLNP has promoted the following projects so far:
- A black poplar project to bring Britain's rarest tree species back to floodplains in Oxfordshire
- The Cotswolds Savannah project, a large-scale chalk grassland and mosaic habitat restoration on 2,000 hectares
- The Evenlode landscape recovery project, restoring habitats, soil health and waterways, led by farmers without sacrificing food production
- A Thames Valley wildflower meadow restoration project in Eynsham, including the acquisition of a new piece of land
- The Ock and Thame landscape recovery project, including benefits for people, food, farming and nature
- The Reconnecting Bernwood, Otmoor and the Ray project
The projects include key actions to connect habitats across the county, support the recovery of priority species, and build greater local resilience to increasingly extreme weather.
They are also expected to bring wider benefits for people and places, including cleaner water supplies, greater flood resilience, more opportunities for communities to connect with nature, and improvements for health, wellbeing and local economies.
Councillor Laura Gordon, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy, said: "The selected projects are built to last, with trusted partnerships, and plans to sustain their impacts well beyond any single funding cycle.
Together, the projects span a significant area of Oxfordshire and represent a shared vision for nature recovery across the county, helping to deliver the LNRS's strategic vision."
How the projects could be funded
The projects are at different stages and different scales, meaning the type of support they need will vary.
Oxfordshire County Council say philanthropic or grant funding will be the right fit for some.
For others, public sources such as agri-environment payments or woodland creation grants may be more appropriate.
As projects mature, opportunities through emerging nature markets are also expected to open up.
What happens next
Over the coming months, the OLNP and its members, including the council, will promote the portfolio more widely and connect projects with the funders and partners best placed to support them.
Looking further ahead, the OLNP hopes to make it easier for individuals and businesses to contribute directly to the projects that matter most to them, through a crowdfunding-style approach.