Close to £2 million allocated for nature recovery efforts in Mid Suffolk
Funding aims to boost biodiversity and support wildlife
Mid Suffolk District Council has pledged £1.8 million over the next three years to support biodiversity and nature recovery across the district.
The funding, drawn from a new biodiversity budget and reserves for 2025/26, aims to address habitat loss and enhance wildlife presence, as detailed in the council’s revised Biodiversity Action Plan.
Enhancing local ecosystems
In addition to community grants, the funding will target initiatives such as restoring ecosystems, creating and protecting wildlife corridors, increasing tree planting, and expanding wildflower areas.
The council’s own estate will benefit from features like enlarged meadow areas, the creation of pond habitats, swift-friendly installations, and habitat enhancements.
Suffolk Wildlife Trust and other local organisations will collaborate with the council to deliver on these goals.
Council statement and wider implications
Cllr Tim Weller, cabinet member for environment, culture and wellbeing, said:
“The critical role of biodiversity to the healthy functioning of our ecosystems, wellbeing, economy, and wider environmental resilience is increasingly well understood and acknowledged.
"This is a bold and ambitious investment that gives us the resources to make a real difference and deliver great benefits to our residents and communities.
“There is a major emphasis on supporting partners and other groups, including through grant funding.
“Within our own estate, the budget will support an enlargement of land managed as meadows, the creation and enhancement of new pond habitats, the installation of features to support swifts, tree planting, and for habitat creation.
“This is about safeguarding Mid Suffolk’s environment for future generations."
The funding aligns with Suffolk’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy and supports broader climate resilience goals. Improved green spaces promise to benefit air quality, reduce flood risk, and aid carbon storage, while providing healthier environments for residents.
Previous council achievements include biodiversity mapping, a rural-first tree canopy survey, and the establishment of new wildflower areas. The council has also acquired land in Onehouse and Thorndon for nature preservation.