Book: Environments for All Chapter: 4.0 Case studies Section: Creating an 'urban oasis' in Patchway, Bristol Metadata: Details Buy this book

Patchway is a densely populated area in Bristol with a wide range of poverty and health problems. An area of land near to the Prudential-owned Mall at Cribbs Causeway is the only significant green space for miles around and is also home to a 400-year-old woodland and to nationally scarce species of plants and animals.

Local community group, Patchway Conservation Group approached BTCV for help improve the site. This is an already well-established group of local volunteers who are working with English Nature and other key agencies to establish their own programme of conservation activity in and around the Patchway area. BTCV and the Grass Roots programme donated £10,000 to the project to help drive regeneration for people and wildlife in communities near to Prudential-owned properties. The local authority had also identified a number of other public green spaces in Patchway that had low key community involvement and which could form a potential wildlife corridor of high biodiversity value and to help link up communities and schools.

The sites were heavily-used public rights of way, but neglected green spaces. Many of the trees were vandalised, the footpaths were difficult to use and the area covered in litter - a poor resource for people and wildlife.

In partnership with local community groups, BTCV and the Grass Roots programme worked to help regenerate the land and to provide a rich urban oasis for all in the community. The aim was to involve the local community in improving the sites, to reduce vandalism, provide educational value, and encourage biodiversity, while providing the local community with a valuable site for exercise and leisure.

The project has included developing a sustainable management plan that has helped to balance the needs of all concerned through activities such as:

• Footpath improvement, hedging, dry stone walling and rubbish clearance;
• Training in practical conservation for local schools and adults;
• The creation of a new pond;
• Habitat management: scrub clearance, coppicing, tree planting, tree seed collection and planting, and planting hedgerows; and
• A series of guided walks to encourage adults and children to learn about the local area.

BTCV involved local schools in the educational and practical aspects of conservation, working with them to produce a walks leaflet, schools nature pack and website.

BTCV uses the environment to connect with young people, offering them opportunities to contribute to the decision making process. We have found that involving young people in worthwhile environmental projects helps them take ownership of the area. A major public consultation event was organised for this project, specifically targeting young people to ensure their voices were heard. It was attended by over 150 people, including local schoolchildren who discussed ideas about what to do with the green space. What emerged was that there was a lack of recreational facilities and as a result there has been a commitment from the local authority to create a bike track.

The achievements have been substantial:

• Over 500 local people were involved in the project, including schoolchildren, residents, staff from The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, and the conservation group;
• 100 people attended the public event to celebrate the site being designated as a local nature reserve;
• Many young people who were previously excluded from the site can now access it;
• Activities such as dry stone walling, pond dipping, conservation management, skills in flora and fauna were carried out. Bird boxes were installed;
• The project involved 80 volunteer workdays worth over £4,000; and
• 10 practical workday events were organised.

The direct environmental benefits include the conservation of an ancient woodland which has helped to preserve and increase the biodiversity of the site.

The longer-term outcomes are many and varied:

• Reduction in damage and vandalism to the site;
• The increased awareness of the area also encouraged more local people to benefit from this public space;
• Greater confidence among local people;
• Development of a sense of ownership and pride in the local environment;
• Local volunteers and schools played a vital role in the maintenance of the park; and
• As well as access to green space, residents now have a safer and more accessible walking route to the local shops, which has also encouraged a reduction in the use of cars.

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