• Two Wiltshire Council projects were featured as good practice on the Local Government Association (LGA) stand at COP26. These projects were the Wiltshire Council Community Environmental Tool Kit – March 2021 and the Salisbury River Park project. ​
• Wiltshire Council are working to develop the Wiltshire Council Tree and Woodland Planting Strategy. For more information see: Trees, Forests and Woodlands ​

•  Wiltshire Council will recognise roles canal and river trusts play in natural flood management and the potential they hold for active travel and renewable generation. For more information see: A Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy for Wiltshire – Sept 2021 ​
• Wiltshire Council will increase the carbon storage capacity of woodlands in England in line with Government’s 25-year Environmental Plan of 12% woodland cover by 2060 ​
• Wiltshire Council has launched the Wild About Wiltshire initiative where they have asked Town and Parish Councils to submit a Wildflower Verge Agreement Form giving Wiltshire Council the go ahead to rewild submitted verges.​
• Wiltshire Council and Bradford on Avon Town Council have worked together to secure a £96,000 grant from the Forestry Commission’s Local Authorities Treescape Fund to plant around 3,000 trees and hedgerow trees in the town. ​
• Wiltshire Council has secured two successful grant applications to Natural England totalling £10,000 to support the development of a Local Nature Recovery Strategy, plus evidence mapping for habitats across Wiltshire and Swindon.
• The council hosted a Natural Environment Summit for Wiltshire, which brought together key groups and organisations to discuss opportunities to make meaningful long-term improvements to local biodiversity.
• The £27m Salisbury River Park transformational scheme aims to reduce flood risk to over 350 homes and businesses in Salisbury. It will also create 2 hectares of enhanced riverside habitat for the benefit of wildlife and more than 600 trees will be planted.
• Wiltshire Council has successfully secured £294,800 of funding  from Government to support tree planting and woodland creation targets – delivering 111 hectares of trees in 2023/24 and 222 hectares in 2024/25.

• Corsham Town Council are committed to planting more native trees and hedgerows in all recreational areas and Town Council owned land. All trees planted in 2021 and 2022 were registered with the Queen’s Green Canopy to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee Map & Education Hub – The Queen’s Green Canopy (queensgreencanopy.org)​
• Corsham Town Council has worked with Corsham Primary Schools and the Woodland Trust to plant 60 trees and 60 hedgerow across two school playing fields which were planted in March 2022. ​
• Corsham Town Council is in the process of rewilding roadside verges and pathways in Corsham. The Town Council will submit a Wildflower Verge Agreement Form to Wiltshire Council making them aware of suitable verges to rewild. ​
• From 2022 Corsham Town Council will implement a Biodiversity Action Plan which will set out policies and actions the town council will take to protect and enhance the green and blue infrastructure that is maintained and managed by the town council. This action plan will review the management of CTC’s open spaces to improve biodiversity ​
• Corsham Town Council has reviewed the use of pesticides by the grounds team and will increase the use of environmentally friendly alternative approaches.

• All Parish Council Committees are now incorporating the Climate Strategy into their Forward Plans for 2022/3​
• Tree and Pond Management Plans have been put in place to manage green and blue infrastructure in Box ​
• Cotswold Voluntary Wardens & Box Parish Council volunteer working parties have planted:​ –  210 hedge saplings on Box Rec  –  dead hedge on Box Hill Lower Common  –  4,000 broadleaf trees this season at Wadswick, Rudloe Manor, Jamies Farm, Grove Farm​      Cleared Ash, Hazel and Bramble in preparation for creation of a community orchard and wild flower meadow​

• Potential plans for planting 50 fruit bushes and 20 fruit trees by April 2023, Box Parish Council consulted with residents in January 2021.​
• Revised Allotment Rules issued to ensure that users comply with the Climate Strategy with focus on reducing weed killers and pesticides.​
• Revised Pavilion Hire Rules issued to prioritise environmental considerations

• Colerne Parish Council will develop a Parish Tree and, with partnership working via “Wild Colerne” with Cotswold Wardens, Woodland Trust and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Parish Tree develop a hedgerow planting strategy, with particular regard for mitigation of expected loss of the many Ash trees in our Parish.   ​
• Colerne Parish Council will promote “No Mow May” via Parish Magazine, social media, local school sand engagement with Colerne Gardening Club ​
• Colerne Parish Council will, through seeking support from Wiltshire Council, develop a Parish strategy for wildflower friendly verge management. ​
• Colerne Parish Council will use the platform of “Wild Colerne” and the Parish Magazine to educate on the harmful effects of pesticides and benefits of Butterfly and insect supportive gardening and land management. ​
• In 2022, plans started for a “Celebrate Colerne Swifts” project 2022 with aim of protecting our swifts.
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Individuals can make small improvements to the garden and home  to support declining biodiversity. Some ideas include:​

• Build a bug hotel in your garden. Find out more at:  How to build a bug mansion | Wiltshire Wildlife Trust ​
• Plant bee/pollinator friendly and native plants in your garden as well as plants that bloom at different times of year. See the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) list of Plants for Pollinators: Garden Plants – RHS, Plants for Pollinators: British Wildflowers – RHS, Top 10 Native Wildflower Species and the Woodland Trust’s British Trees and Shrubs to Plant in Gardens.​
• Build or buy a bird feeder and/or box to support local bird species.​
• Create a small pond in your garden to support declining wildlife. Find out more at: How to create a mini pond | Wiltshire Wildlife Trust​
• Buying non polluting or chemical household products. Find out more at: Eco-friendly Cleaning Products – Country Living ​
• Make, use and encourage compost heaps. See Kew Royal Botanical Garden’s information on making compost mix at: Make Your Own Compost ​
• It has been found allotment holders can produce quality food without degrading soil quality using sustainable manage techniques that recycling nutrients and carbon back into the soil more effectively. Interested in renting an allotment? Corsham has 6 allotment sites, for more information see: Corsham Allotment Sites – Corsham Town Council ​
• Corsham also has a community orchard at the Corsham Primary School Pound Pill site and work has began to create a community garden at the Pound Arts Centre. Both of these are in need of volunteers to help manage and support these sites to benefit local biodiversity, reduce environmental impacts and promote sustainable agriculture! ​

For more information and tips on how to increase and support biodiversity and wildlife see the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s Actions to help wildlife, the RHS’s Encourage wildlife to your garden, and the English Garden’s Guide to Sustainable Gardening.

Corsham Climate Action​

• Corsham Climate Action is currently managing community orchards in front of Corsham Primary School, Pound Pill.  Details of seasonal jobs available from CCA.​
• Corsham Climate Action is working with the Pound Arts Centre to produce a community garden at the Pound to promote biodiversity and community engagement with nature and food production.  The garden will be fully organic and sustainable. ​
• The group is also involved with managing the wildflower areas at the Springfield Community Campus.​

Wiltshire Climate Alliance​

• Land Use group active in sharing information and encouraging local groups to develop tree planting projects.  ​
• Work with Avon Needs Trees on major tree planting projects. ​