Local people, landscape specialists and conservationists creating better green spaces

An exciting new partnership between idverde and the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) will help improve the understanding and role Friends of Parks groups and residents can play in both discovering and looking after the wildlife and plants in their neighbourhood.

The innovative approach will see a dedicated member of the RSPB team based in Bromley, working with idverde, the Council’s greenspace management contractor, to help deliver the Council’s Biodiversity strategy.  The work underlines the commitment to maintain, enhance and restore Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCS) and other green spaces for biodiversity.

The partnership will play a key role in helping their community become a greener place that benefits both people and wildlife which will create a green legacy for future generations.

As London’s largest and greenest London Borough, it contains the landscape which helped inspire Charles Darwin, with the Borough continuing to have a strong connection to its natural environment, with 93 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs), six Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and five Local Nature Reserves (LNRs).

The two organisations will be working closely to ensure the much-loved borough remains vibrant and welcoming to people as well as serving as an important and valuable natural habitat supporting a wide range of plants and animals. A key element of this work will be creating opportunities for everyone in the area to discover the wildlife and fantastic variety of species living in their neighbourhood.

Councillor Colin Smith, Leader of Bromley Council said: “It is vital to never forget that we are all only transient guardians of our Parks and Greenspaces and hold a debt and duty to protect not only what we have been blessed to enjoy ourselves, but also for future generations too, and this is why the partnership work between the Council, idverde and Bromley’s ‘Friends of Parks’ groups is so important.

The depth of skills which idverde bring to the table in tandem with the obvious strengths of the country’s largest nature conservation charity, the RSPB, is excellent news for Bromley’s people and green environment given the added dynamism and benefits their joint working will bring, particularly over the longer term, where such planning and commitment is so vital.”

John Pemberton, idverde’s Conservation and Education Development Manager, commented: “We are delighted to be working with the RSPB, an organisation whose values align with our own, and many of our Friends and other stakeholders. Collaborative approaches to conservation are essential if we are to safeguard our biodiversity for future generations. We hope that through our partnership, the RSPB will be able to continue its valuable work alongside idverde in enabling and empowering the communities of Bromley to engage with the nature on their doorstep and make a positive impact.”

Nigel Symes, Head of Business Advice at the RSPB said: “There is a growing body of research revealing the long-term benefits to people’s well-being from living in an urban area with access to green spaces. So it is really exciting to be working alongside idverde to give local people the tools they need to find out more about the important role Bromley is playing in providing a home for species and what we can all do to enhance and cherish the green spaces in our neighbourhood.”

Steven Lofting working with the community for the idverde and RSPB partnership in Bromley