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WEST MIDLANDS WILDLIFE TRUSTS BENEFIT FROM SHARE IN #4 MILLION FOR
BIODIVERSITY AND EDUCATION PROJECTS
Fifty-nine projects from voluntary groups right across urban and
rural England will benefit from renewed Government grants worth
approximately #4 million. The money from Defra's Environmental Action
Fund will help support important biodiversity and education work.
Wildlife Trusts across the region have been awarded #32,000 this year
to support the West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership, which exists
to develop biodiversity and conservation in the area.
Announcing the grants Environment Minister Michael Meacher said:
"Biodiversity in England will continue to benefit from these 23
projects which will contribute towards our strategic objectives now
set out in the Biodiversity Strategy for England. These grants help
groups to work more effectively with local people and relevant
agencies to protect vulnerable species and habitats across England.
"The education grants will continue to support 35 groups undertaking
work promoting understanding and awareness of sustainable
development. They will engage a wide range of people, and involve
many different learning activities - from practical conservation work
with children to work developing professional practice. These 36
projects are strategic, relevant and very important - education, in
the broadest sense, is intrinsic to sustainable development."
The West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership (WMBP) is an umbrella
organisation made up of 16 members including the six Wildlife Trusts
within the region. The Partnership aims to help people care for the
region's wildlife by protecting important species and habitats,
replacing past losses and making new provision. Defra has awarded an
EAF grant of #32,000 to the West Midlands Wildlife Trusts to help
with funding the Partnership's Rebuilding Regional Diversity Project.
Peter Shirley, Regional Director for the West Midlands Wildlife
Trusts, said:
"I am pleased to receive this continued support from Defra, with a
further grant from the Environmental Action Fund. This award
recognises the crucial importance of wildlife to the people of the
West Midlands region, the need to address threats to it and to
reverse the long-term decline suffered by some species.
"This second year of funding will allow the appointment of two
officers who will support the West Midlands Biodiversity
Partnership's work. One post will deal with promoting biodiversity in
the region, by approaching different business sectors, agencies and
public bodies to raise awareness of biodiversity and conservation
issues and give people the chance to include these considerations in
their business plans. The second post will deal with policy issues,
liaising with the West Midlands' decision-makers to ensure that,
where possible, any regional policies promote biodiversity."
Notes to Editors
1. The Environmental Action Fund (EAF) helps voluntary groups in
England promote sustainable development through projects on:
- the understanding and awareness of sustainable development
- biodiversity.
2. Grants range from #25,000 to #250,000 per year and applications
were sought for 3-year projects starting in 2002. Groups must find
eligible matching funding and ensure that the projects have well
defined objectives, measurable outcomes and clear timescales.
3. The members of WMBP are: the Association of Local Government
Ecologists, British Waterways, Butterfly conservation, CLA,
Countryside Agency, Defra, English Nature, Environment Agency,
Forestry Commission, Government Office for the West Midlands, NFU,
RSPB, Severn Trent Water, West Midlands LBAP Coordinators' Group,
West Midlands Local Government Association, The West Midlands
Wildlife Trusts.
4. The Partnership receives funding from Defra's Environmental Action
Fund and the Heritage Lottery fund. The Partnership's role is to
ensure appropriate consideration of biodiversity needs and
opportunities by regional interests and to foster the integration of
local, regional and national biodiversity conservation practice. It
is part of a linked network of regional groups and for a providing
environmental advice and addressing sustainability issues. The
Partnership provides policy advice, disseminates information and
seeks resources to support nature conservation throughout the West
Midlands Region: West Midlands County, Warwickshire, Shropshire,
Staffordshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
5. A list of West Midlands projects funded under the 2003-2004
programme is attached.
6. For further information on the 2003-2004 awards, please contact
Richard Mabbitt, at Defra, 6/G9 Ashdown house, 123 Victoria Street,
London SW1E 6DE. Telephone 020 7944 6694; Fax 020 7944 6559; e-mail
[email protected]
7. The resources currently available to the EAF have now been fully
allocated for the 2003-05 period. To register for information on
possible future grant rounds contact Defra at the above address.
8. Further information on EAF is available on Defra's website:
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/eaf/index.htm Also available are an EAF
annual report, 6-monthly magazine and good practice guide for
environmental projects.
Press enquiries: 0121 626 2040
Public enquiries: 08459 335 577
Press notices are available on our website
www.defra.gov.uk
Issued on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs by Government News Network West Midlands. For more
information or interviews contact Cam Morgan on 0121 626 2040/ 07740
900 238.
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Telephone 020 7238 1133
Fax 020 7238 5529
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
Out of hours fax 020 7270 8125
Website www.defra.gov.uk
BIODIVERSITY AND EDUCATION PROJECTS
Fifty-nine projects from voluntary groups right across urban and
rural England will benefit from renewed Government grants worth
approximately #4 million. The money from Defra's Environmental Action
Fund will help support important biodiversity and education work.
Wildlife Trusts across the region have been awarded #32,000 this year
to support the West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership, which exists
to develop biodiversity and conservation in the area.
Announcing the grants Environment Minister Michael Meacher said:
"Biodiversity in England will continue to benefit from these 23
projects which will contribute towards our strategic objectives now
set out in the Biodiversity Strategy for England. These grants help
groups to work more effectively with local people and relevant
agencies to protect vulnerable species and habitats across England.
"The education grants will continue to support 35 groups undertaking
work promoting understanding and awareness of sustainable
development. They will engage a wide range of people, and involve
many different learning activities - from practical conservation work
with children to work developing professional practice. These 36
projects are strategic, relevant and very important - education, in
the broadest sense, is intrinsic to sustainable development."
The West Midlands Biodiversity Partnership (WMBP) is an umbrella
organisation made up of 16 members including the six Wildlife Trusts
within the region. The Partnership aims to help people care for the
region's wildlife by protecting important species and habitats,
replacing past losses and making new provision. Defra has awarded an
EAF grant of #32,000 to the West Midlands Wildlife Trusts to help
with funding the Partnership's Rebuilding Regional Diversity Project.
Peter Shirley, Regional Director for the West Midlands Wildlife
Trusts, said:
"I am pleased to receive this continued support from Defra, with a
further grant from the Environmental Action Fund. This award
recognises the crucial importance of wildlife to the people of the
West Midlands region, the need to address threats to it and to
reverse the long-term decline suffered by some species.
"This second year of funding will allow the appointment of two
officers who will support the West Midlands Biodiversity
Partnership's work. One post will deal with promoting biodiversity in
the region, by approaching different business sectors, agencies and
public bodies to raise awareness of biodiversity and conservation
issues and give people the chance to include these considerations in
their business plans. The second post will deal with policy issues,
liaising with the West Midlands' decision-makers to ensure that,
where possible, any regional policies promote biodiversity."
Notes to Editors
1. The Environmental Action Fund (EAF) helps voluntary groups in
England promote sustainable development through projects on:
- the understanding and awareness of sustainable development
- biodiversity.
2. Grants range from #25,000 to #250,000 per year and applications
were sought for 3-year projects starting in 2002. Groups must find
eligible matching funding and ensure that the projects have well
defined objectives, measurable outcomes and clear timescales.
3. The members of WMBP are: the Association of Local Government
Ecologists, British Waterways, Butterfly conservation, CLA,
Countryside Agency, Defra, English Nature, Environment Agency,
Forestry Commission, Government Office for the West Midlands, NFU,
RSPB, Severn Trent Water, West Midlands LBAP Coordinators' Group,
West Midlands Local Government Association, The West Midlands
Wildlife Trusts.
4. The Partnership receives funding from Defra's Environmental Action
Fund and the Heritage Lottery fund. The Partnership's role is to
ensure appropriate consideration of biodiversity needs and
opportunities by regional interests and to foster the integration of
local, regional and national biodiversity conservation practice. It
is part of a linked network of regional groups and for a providing
environmental advice and addressing sustainability issues. The
Partnership provides policy advice, disseminates information and
seeks resources to support nature conservation throughout the West
Midlands Region: West Midlands County, Warwickshire, Shropshire,
Staffordshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
5. A list of West Midlands projects funded under the 2003-2004
programme is attached.
6. For further information on the 2003-2004 awards, please contact
Richard Mabbitt, at Defra, 6/G9 Ashdown house, 123 Victoria Street,
London SW1E 6DE. Telephone 020 7944 6694; Fax 020 7944 6559; e-mail
[email protected]
7. The resources currently available to the EAF have now been fully
allocated for the 2003-05 period. To register for information on
possible future grant rounds contact Defra at the above address.
8. Further information on EAF is available on Defra's website:
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/eaf/index.htm Also available are an EAF
annual report, 6-monthly magazine and good practice guide for
environmental projects.
Press enquiries: 0121 626 2040
Public enquiries: 08459 335 577
Press notices are available on our website
www.defra.gov.uk
Issued on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs by Government News Network West Midlands. For more
information or interviews contact Cam Morgan on 0121 626 2040/ 07740
900 238.
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Telephone 020 7238 1133
Fax 020 7238 5529
Out of hours telephone 020 7270 8960
Out of hours fax 020 7270 8125
Website www.defra.gov.uk
