|
SEEN
Somerset Environmental
and Ecological News
|
 |
|
|
Hello SEEN readers
Welcome to April’s edition of SEEN – we hope you had a wonder-filled Easter enjoying the sights and sounds of spring springing into life.
April was exceptionally warm and lacking the usual April showers causing concern to many farmers and gardeners lacking the rain for their spring seed planting as well as wildlife.
To help reduce drought have you got a water butt to collect and store water for your garden? You can contact your water company to see if they have discounted ones or find one online. Look for ones made from recycled plastic and get a down pipe diverter.
Another good tip is to mulch your garden to keep the moisture in the soil with homemade, peat free compost. And to help wildlife, leave a small container of water for bees, birds and hedgehogs to drink from. See further links and tips in the content below.
We’d also like to give a huge thank you to Lorriane Hemmings for all her hard work helping to create SEEN and we wish her well on her next ventures.
Highlights to inspire us this month:
We wish you all a wonderful May and enjoy the Beltane celebrations over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Best eco well wishes,
The Climate Team
|
|
Between 2023 and 2024, the Mauna Loa records identified the fastest annual rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. The forecast for 2024 to 2025 suggests that this increase will continue at a pace faster than what is needed to meet the IPCC scenarios that limit global warming to 1.5°C. This ongoing rise in CO₂ is primarily driven by fossil fuel burning and land use changes.
However, this year's increase will be smaller than last year's due to a re-strengthening of natural carbon sinks, partly linked to a shift from El Niño to emerging La Niña conditions. Despite this, the annual CO₂ rise remains too high to be compatible with the IPCC’s 1.5°C scenarios.
|
Planting trees? Apply for funding and don’t forget to root for Somerset!
 If you planted any trees prior to the close of the tree planting season at the end of April, don’t forget to make every one of them count by registering them on the Somerset Tree Planting Register!
Whether you’ve planted a single sapling or a whole grove, your brilliant efforts are contributing to a greener more sustainable Somerset. The county’s tree canopy is at just 8% and it needs to reach the national average of at least 13%.
Registering your new trees helps track progress, support local biodiversity, and inspires others to join in. Let’s root for Somerset together and create a lasting legacy for future generations.
Cycle saver for staff
 Did you know you can get financial help to reduce the cost of a new bicycle to support travel to and from work that’s both better for your health and for the planet?
The government-supported Cycle to Work scheme is an employee benefit that can help you save up to £1,000 on purchasing or hiring a bicycle and accessories, including e-bikes. You pay nothing upfront, and the payments are taken tax efficiently from your salary by your employer. Check with your employer to find out if they’re part of this initiative.
At Somerset Council, we’ve signed up to a Green Commuting Initiative, enabling staff to access this scheme.
|
|
Thermly competition runner-up switches to green energy
Thermly competition runner-up Jennifer Armstrong
In addition to a £7,500 Government grant, runner-up of Thermly’s heat pump installation competition, Jennifer Armstrong, was thrilled to receive support, as well as £2,000 towards installation costs for a Heat Pump.
Living in a Victorian home in Castle Carey, Jennifer wanted a green upgrade for her old combi boiler to reduce fossil fuel consumption.
Empowering communities through tech: The story of Donate IT and BlackmoreUK
Image courtesy of Donate IT
Simon Barfoot founded BlackmoreUK in 1996 as a sole trader in Wincanton, Somerset. Today, BlackmoreUK operates a 22,000 sq ft processing centre near Warminster with 50 staff. Simon’s commitment to sustainability and reducing electronic waste has been central to the company’s growth over the past 27 years.
BlackmoreUK is renowned for its high-level certifications in data destruction, IT recycling and management systems, including being the first UK company to achieve DIAL 3 with Distinction to ADISA Standard 8.0.
Call for school Climate Ambassadors
 The Department for Education’s (DfE) Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, published in April 2022, sets out the expectation that all nurseries, schools and colleges have a Climate Action Plan and a named Sustainability Lead by December 2025.
Climate action planning adopts a whole-institution approach, addressing 4 pillars.
Nature saving youth forum opens to new Members
Image courtesy of Somerset Wildlife Trust
Young people in Somerset are actively working to save the planet through the Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Youth Forum. This thriving network of 12 to 24-year-olds has grown significantly in just a year, engaging in wildlife surveys, political hustings and various environmental actions.
Launched in 2024 with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the forum has brought together 30 young people from across the county.
|
|
As part of the Celebrating Somerset project, a couple of short films have been made about several local nature sites, including Ham Hill and Wilstock and Stockmoor Country Parks.
These films showcase what’s so special about these parks, what they have to offer visitors and what wildlife you can spot there.
|
The government has announced the creation of a new Western Forest in the South West of England, spanning from the Cotswolds to the Mendips in Somerset.
The project aims to establish 2,500 hectares of woodland by 2030, with 20 million trees planted by 2050, benefitting the region’s 2.5 million residents. It will integrate trees into farmland, revitalise existing woodlands and bring nature closer to urban areas like Bristol, Gloucester and Swindon.
|
An ambitious project aimed at restoring natural processes and ecological function in Somerset’s River Aller and Horner Water catchments is 1 of 3 finalists to win a Catchment Restoration trophy at the River Restoration Centre’s (RRC) prestigious UK River Prize Awards for 2025.
Led by the National Trust, the Holnicote Estate Project is supported by the Environment Agency, with funding from our partners at Somerset Rivers Authority, the EU’s Interreg 2 Seas Co-Adapt programme and Defra’s Green Recovery and Species Survival Funds.
|
We’re delighted to announce that we’ve been chosen by UK100’s Local Power in Action Programme to support our work embedding the Somerset Energy Investment Plan across our organisation.
One reason why renewable energy is not as widely adopted as it should be is the spread of misinformation about renewable energy technologies, energy storage, and electric vehicles. To address this issue, UK100 collaborated with our Councillors and officers to create a Mythbusting Energy Factsheet. This resource aims to clarify true facts from fiction and support the progression of decarbonisation and local energy generation, helping Somerset become a resilient, self-generating clean energy community.
|
|
|
Visit our events calendar below for a fantastic array of upcoming climate-related activities designed to engage and inspire you – our SEEN community!
Whether you’re interested in environmental conservation, local wildlife or simply looking for a fun day out with the family, these events provide the perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and learn something new.
Similarly, if you’re holding an eco-event of your own, email us at climateemergency@somerset.gov.uk so we can tell our readers.
|
|
|
Charles Dowding, our Somerset-based No-Dig Gardening guru, has some great tips on how to make your own compost for plants to grow and thrive using peat free and nutrient rich compost made from your own kitchen scraps, garden clippings, end of season plants and even weeds.
Not only is this a wonderful way to reuse plant material in your garden, but it’ll also save you money and is a climate-friendly way to care for your plants. Now is a good time to build your compost maker. To find out how, visit Charles’ Compost page.
|
Water-saving tips and resources
You may be able to obtain free or discounted water butts and water-saving devices through the following water companies:
Similarly, enter your postcode into the search facilities on the Get Water Fit or Save Water Save Money websites to see if you qualify for free devices, including water butts. These platforms are used by several water companies to offer free and discounted water-saving products to eligible customers.
|
|
|
 This is your newsletter, and we want to hear about the great environmental work happening where you live, or what you do to make a difference every day with your brilliant eco hacks and tips.
You can make suggestions about what you would like to see more of in future editions of SEEN and have your say on previous stories and topics.
We would love to hear from you.
Get in touch at climateemergency@somerset.gov.uk.
|
|
|
|
|
