Over the years, Suffolk Wildlife Trust in Ipswich has delivered a series of projects in the town, from our Ipswich Hedgehog project aiming to make Ipswich the most hedgehog friendly town in the UK, to our Closer to Nature project inspiring the next generation of young naturalists. From each of these projects we have achieved and learnt a great deal, and each of our past projects help to inform new bids, enabling us to deliver new projects in the town, whilst incorporating and building upon past projects.

Earlier this year, the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts approached each Wildlife Trust in our 46-strong movement to write a bid for a new nationwide project, Nextdoor Nature - a-first-of-its-kind project.

This new cross country collaborative project started in April and aims to bring communities together to help nature flourish where they live and work.

Thanks to £5 million funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Nextdoor Nature, delivered by Suffolk Wildlife Trust in Ipswich, will provide communities with the advice and support they need to take action for nature on their doorstep, and leave a lasting natural legacy in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Action could include establishing wild habitats and green corridors in nature poor areas in the town, naturalising highly urbanised or unused areas, or building on work already undertaken that needs a new lease of life. 

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and research shows 85% of people in nature-deprived areas say more natural spaces would improve their quality of life. The majority also say that having access to local natural spaces is more important post-pandemic. Nextdoor Nature will enable people to make this happen and in doing so, take steps to tackle the nature and climate crisis whilst also addressing important health and wellbeing needs.

It might be that so far in reading this, you're thinking that this all sounds a little old hat and been there done that, but this Nextdoor Nature has a very different approach. First and foremost, we are listening. Through a series of listening exercises and community consultations, we are listening to communities, being led by them and coming away from our traditional engagement methods, turning to community empowerment instead.

If we are to tip the scales in the current climate emergency, we need all the help we can get to take action for nature, and this means facilitating and empowering communities, which will only come when communities are listened to. We need communities to take action for themselves, with us there to support and give advice from the side-lines and behind the scenes, and in turn, this more hands off approach will allow us to expand our reach and impact for people and wildlife alike across the town, and our fellow Trusts across the country.

So, whether there’s a dull, barren patch of land that could be colourful and buzzing again, or a space that could be a wild but safe area to visit or play in – the Nextdoor Nature projects will help everyone to take action for nature.

If you would like to keep up to date with Nextdoor Nature, and all our events and other work in the town, follow us on Instagram on @swtipswich and @Suffolk Wildlife Trust in Ipswich on Facebook. Check out our suffolkwildlifetrust.org website for all our sessions and events in Ipswich.