Westminster City Council Launches New Biodiversity and Greening Group to Tackle Ecological Emergency

Image

A range of organisations, from landholders to grassroots community groups, joined together last week for the first time to discuss different ecological challenges in the city, and discussed how they can work better together to tackle them. The meeting- hosted by Westminster City Council- provided a platform to collaborate, network and share ideas with the goal of enhancing biodiversity and greening across Westminster.

Named Wilder Westminster, the first meeting marks the beginning of a long-term commitment by the council to address the ecological emergency. Regular collaboration between members will help to continue the discussion and develop the biodiversity and greening action plan outside the group bi-annual meetings.

The aim for future meetings is to continue collaborating to ensure greening efforts are coordinated and impactful and that nature is supported to recover and thrive.

Westminster is home to exceptional green spaces, owned and managed by a variety of stakeholders including Royal Parks, and BIDS (Business Improvement Districts) and community and third sector organisations, so there was an emphasis on partnership building, calling on everyone to take collective responsibility for creating a greener and more nature-rich environment. The working group also touched on issues such as strategy and purpose, and case studies of good greening practices including recent improvements to Cardinal Place in Victoria by Landsec.

Westminster City Council is hopeful that this new partnership will play a key role in shaping a greener future for central London.

For more information about the work group is doing as well as how to get more involved by visiting the Environment Hub.

Cllr Ryan Jude, Cabinet member for Climate Action, Ecology and Culture said:

It was great to see different organisations come together in one space to focus on how we can work better together to be more environmentally sustainable, in recognition of the ecological emergency and to help deliver a net zero city by 2040.”

“We all recognise that we can’t do this alone and there is still a lot to be done but by making sure our efforts are coordinated we can bring about meaningful and lasting change in Westminster.”