COMMUNITY groups, charities, schools and parish councils across the county are being encouraged to apply for funding to help improve and protect the county’s natural environment.

The Nature and Biodiversity Community Grant Scheme is offering grants of between £500 and £10,000 for projects that improve habitats, support wildlife and help people connect with nature.

A previous recipiant of a grant was a project from Weston under Penyard Parish Council, which transformed a previous overgrown, bramble-covered bank behind the playground that has been transformed into a wildlife-friendly space through the planting of a fruit-bearing shrubbery, providing year-round food, shelter, and habitat for birds, small animals, and pollinators.

Delivered by FCC Environment, Herefordshire Council’s recyclables and waste collection provider, the scheme supports practical, community-led projects that help nature recover across the county.

Funding is available for projects such as tree and hedge planting, the creation of ponds and wetlands, wildflower meadows, wildlife corridors, community nature areas, and the installation of bird, bat and insect boxes. Funding can also be used to buy equipment needed to look after habitats and green spaces in the long term.

The scheme focuses on supporting local wildlife and important habitats, including wetlands, orchards, woodlands and meadows. It also encourages the use of native and climate-resilient planting and sustainable materials wherever possible.

Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst, said: “This grant scheme is a fantastic opportunity for creating new habitats for wildlife to improving access to green spaces, these projects will make a real and lasting difference to biodiversity across the county.

“We are encouraging eligible community groups, parish councils, schools and charities to come forward with their ideas and help us continue building a greener, more resilient Herefordshire for future generations.”

Applications are open to not-for-profit organisations and must be submitted by midnight on August 31. Funding decisions will be made by the end of October.