1.3 million Welsh pollinator and wildlife project is given the green light

A new £1.3 million project focusing on the wildlife and environment and the well-being of the people of Wales has been launched.

Biophilic Wales is being led by the National Botanic Garden of Wales and aims to ‘green’ outdoor spaces as well as protect and improve grassland landscapes. It will celebrate Wales’ natural heritage by protecting endangered plants.

The main sites worked on will be around hospitals, health centres, mental health facilities run by Swansea Bay University Health Board – the first health board to be awarded Green Flag status. The project has three segments: Inspiring Spaces, Grasslands for Life and Plants for People.

The Botanic Garden’s head of science and Biophilic Wales lead, Dr Natasha de Vere, said: “We will increase access, biodiversity value and create vital wildlife habitats. We will create inspirational green spaces for people to connect with and benefit from the natural environment. The work we do will be used to develop models that can be applied throughout Wales.”

The work will be delivered by an army of community groups and volunteers will be recruited to deliver this and all aspects of the work – and they will continue to champion the cause after the project is finished.

Dr de Vere added: “We will ensure that our nation’s most threatened plants and key grassland species are protected for the future by collecting seed for the National Seed Bank of Wales. We will develop approaches to ensure that Welsh-provenance seed of grassland species is available for restoration and creation projects in the future.”