Almost £2 million pledged for biodiversity and nature recovery across Mid Suffolk

Mid Suffolk District Council has committed £1.8 million over the next three years to accelerate work which enhances biodiversity and nature – in a bid to safeguard the environment for generations to come.

The investment is a major step towards reversing habitat loss and supporting wildlife across the district.

Both Mid Suffolk’s cabinet and full council have agreed portions of the funding – which will come from a new dedicated biodiversity and nature recovery budget and 2025/26 reserves respectively.

Approval comes alongside a revised Biodiversity Action Plan covering the five years up to 2030, which received cross-party endorsement.

The plan focuses on priority habitats and species in Mid Suffolk, with around half of the funding going towards a new community Nature Recovery Grant fund.

The fund will be split equally between both community-led projects and for the restoration of rivers and their catchments, supporting others to deliver nature recovery on their own land. Further details are expected over the coming year.

Targeted projects to restore ecosystems, create, enhance and protect wildlife corridors and habitats, and expand tree and wildflower planting are also included.

The council will also continue to work collaboratively with Suffolk Wildlife Trust and other local partners to deliver its vision.

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 move supports the council’s wider ambitions around climate resilience and community wellbeing, as well as Suffolk’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Expanding and improving local nature and green spaces also improves air quality, reduces flood risk, and provides natural carbon storage – while giving residents access to healthier environments that enhance quality of life.

It also builds on the council’s previous successes and projects, including biodiversity mapping, a rural first of its kind tree canopy survey, and the creation of new wildflower areas across the district.

The council has also previously purchased land in Onehouse and Thorndon for the benefit of nature.