A PROJECT to make Romsey green again has taken another step forward as its organisers presented their renewed plans to members of the public.
Wilder Romsey, a volunteer group which works in collaboration with Test Valley Borough Council, was created in response to the challenges which the climate crisis has precipitated across the globe.
One of the initiatives of the group is to "rewild" certain urban parts of the town to make them greener and more hospitable to wildlife, as well as making them more aesthetically pleasing.
Presenting at Romsey Town Forum on November 22, Lib Dem Councillor Neil Gwynne explained how the project has taken shape since its inception three years ago.
READ MORE: Wilder Romsey initiative launched with public meeting
He explained that project was born after a Romsey Future workstream that was looking at the natural environment – via a launch held at the Plaza Theatre on July 25, 2021, involving Romsey Town Councillors Neil Gwynne and Janet Burnage.
From its beginning, the project has always been closely linked with Test Valley Borough Council’s "green spaces" team, and has run projects including photography competitions, regular maintenance of the canal bankside, the planting of a community orchard on Greater Woodley estate, wildflower "corners" on the Greater Woodley estate, free provision of bird box kits, and tree saplings, to residents and maintenance of tree saplings and cutting back of invasive saplings on Abbotswood estate and reserved.
Among the projects proposed was the creation of an "urban meadow".
Beginning in May, and with a view to tackling the biodiversity crisis, 1.2 hectares were set aside in Romsey and 3.5 hectares in Valley Park to grow without being mown.
SEE ALSO: Wilder Romsey photography competition launches
This gave wildflowers a chance to grow to support pollinators, and since then a wide range of flora has been recorded on the two sites, including cuckoo flower, ladies purse and pignut.
On its website, Wilder Romsey states: "This decade will be one where substantial changes are made to the UK’s natural, and man-made, environments – in response to the overlapping climate and ecological emergencies.
"The role of Wilder Romsey – and all the volunteers who make it up – is to help all parties involved in this around Romsey communicate with each other and promote, and report on, projects that take forward these environmental changes."
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