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It’s been a year since we launched Part Two of our Climate Action Plan, and we’ve made real strides in laying the foundations for a greener future.
Our Climate Action Plan identifies suitable actions we can take across the organisation to reduce emissions, reduce environmental inequalities and create a climate positive council culture, building on our ‘ecologically aware’ value.
This includes how we can work with others to make changes and collaborate with partners such as Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS), the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP) and town and parish councils to deliver net zero across Westmorland and Furness.
The Climate Action Plan is a five-year plan which will be reviewed regularly and updated annually, with the council focusing its actions on six categories, identifying that a holistic approach is needed to tackle climate change and achieve net zero.
Our achievements to date include:
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The way we work: We’re a carbon literate organisation ensuring climate action is embedded into our organisation, with our climate action plan now part of staff inductions, and training available to all our workforce. We have a clearer understanding of our carbon baseline across scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and are working with partners to strengthen local efforts to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss together.
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The way we travel: To encourage active travel we have established a programme to identify, develop and secure funding to deliver high-quality infrastructure improvements. This has seen the development to date of three Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans to develop the network for the next 15 years. We have also launched a new cycle-to-work scheme for staff helping them to choose low-carbon commutes.
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The way we live: Through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we've been able to successfully run, and extend, the Green Doctor project which aims to tackle fuel poverty and offers support with the cost-of-living crisis through providing household energy efficiency advice to vulnerable residents. We also continue to support the annual Big Switch Off to celebrate dark skies, and engage with schools, youth organisations, and the wider public to drive climate awareness and action.
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The way we produce energy: Last year, we completed construction of our 2MW solar farm in Barrow-in-Furness, supporting cleaner, renewable energy generation. Replacement works to install a new energy efficient LED lighting system are also now complete at Kendal’s Westmorland Shopping Centre’s multi storey car park. The new lighting is set to make significant reductions in energy costs, consumption and CO2.
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The way we protect and enhance nature: As part of our One Tree per Resident project, we're ensuring the planting of a quarter of a million trees over five years. We are also leading a Cumbria-wide Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) to deliver healthy ecosystems on land and sea, supporting a sustainable local economy valued for its natural assets.
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The way we use things: We have three compost demonstration sites across the area to encourage the reduction of food waste and are currently undertaking a waste harmonisation programme to improve efficiency and sustainability across our waste services. This has seen a 'co-mingling' recycling pilot in Ulverston, and a new wheelie bin trial in the Carleton Meadows area of Eden.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to reducing emissions and supporting our ambition to reach net zero. There’s still much to do, but together, we can create a greener, healthier, more resilient Westmorland and Furness and continue to make it to be a great place to live, work and thrive.
Read our Climate Action Plan.
We've kicked off a six-month trial to power our newer fleet of vehicles with biofuel, marking a major step in our ambition to be carbon net zero.
Running on biofuel, a sample of the council's compatible fleet vehicles including tipper wagons, home-to-school transport, and gritters, are now using a greener alternative to diesel.
The trial of biofuel, a ‘green diesel’, is expected to cut carbon emissions by up to 90% and reinforces our commitments to be at the forefront of tackling climate change, provide leadership in the drive to net zero, and reduce emissions.
The pilot will also help inform the council’s Fleet Decarbonisation and Replacement Strategy which is currently being developed and will take a holistic approach to greener vehicle replacement, exploring full electric, hybrid, and biofuel options to find the best fit for its 500-strong fleet.
If the trial is successful, the council will look to roll the scheme out more widely across its depots and additional vehicles.
Read more about this exciting pilot on our website.
 Leaders from across nature and environmental charities and NGOs, local authorities, and public bodies met in January to take forward plans for a nature-recovery network for Cumbria.
The event, hosted by Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumberland Council, and Cumbria Local Nature Partnership, brought together stakeholders to consider what was needed in Cumbria to make the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (currently in development) a reality on the ground.
More than 40 stakeholders attended the event and considered how improved data and evidence, a tactical and strategic approach to opportunities and challenges at a landscape scale, and cross-sector collaboration and leadership would be essential to securing the financial investment and human commitment needed to improve the health of Cumbria’s environment - for nature, for communities, and for economic prosperity.
Feedback from the event is being collated and Cumbria Local Nature Partnership, working with Cumberland Council, Westmorland and Furness Council and its partner organisations will take forward recommendations from the event to allow greater collaborative working for nature recovery.
Coming soon!
A six-week public consultation will be launching in spring to gather feedback on the draft Statement of Biodiversity Priorities and the Local Habitat Map, to ensure the final strategy reflects the views of our stakeholders, local communities, environmental organisations, landowners and visitors.
Keep an eye out for more information on how and where you can share your thoughts on our draft strategy. Visit cumbrialnrs.org.uk to learn more.
For almost 30 years, the Environment Agency (EA) has been helping to keep communities safe through its flood warning service.
Over 1.6 million people across England currently receive their warnings, giving people time to protect themselves from the impacts of flooding. This year, the EA is taking a big step to modernise this vital service to ensure it can securely and reliably warn our communities for the next decade.
Want to be part of the change?
Before launching the replacement service, they're looking for around 1,000 people to test it between February and May 2025. Feedback from potential users will be invaluable in shaping this crucial service.
If you would like to be involved in testing the new service, fill in the EA's online form.
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Across Westmorland and Furness, library staff are driving change through The Green Libraries Project, inspired by the Green Libraries Manifesto. From reducing waste behind the scenes to engaging communities in climate action, this initiative is helping make our libraries more sustainable, one step at a time.
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Inspiring change through books and activities
Libraries are hubs of learning and action. The 'Go Green' collection and Seed Library are making it easier for people to access books, resources, and hands-on ways to embrace sustainable living.
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Small swaps for a bigger impact
Sustainability starts behind the scenes, too! The team has already swapped plastic parcel tape for eco-friendly alternatives and is looking at pen recycling schemes - even switching to pencils to cut waste.
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Creativity meets climate action
The Nature Culture project in Barrow, funded by Natural England, has been helping local school children explore the wellbeing benefits of nature through artist-led workshops.
Keep an eye out for their creative work on display at Barrow Library during British Science Week (7-16 March)!
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Get involved!
Libraries are bringing sustainability to life with events like:
- Seed ball making with the RSPB at Penrith Library
- Cold to Cosy Homes drop-ins with Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)
- Costume & Jumper Swaps to reduce textile waste
- Creative writing sessions for young Climate Champions
Libraries are more than books - they’re spaces for action, learning, and community change. Want to get involved? Keep an eye out for upcoming events at your local library!
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Our ongoing One Tree per Resident (OTpR) project is an ambitious initiative which aims to ensure the planting of a quarter of a million trees over five years.
The project is a response to the climate and biodiversity crises, and aims to create greener spaces, enhance biodiversity, and help tackle climate change. The initiative supports communities across the area to plant one tree - or one metre of hedgerow equivalent - for every resident, bringing long-term benefits to people, wildlife, and the environment.
To date, around 42,000 trees and hedgerows have been planted across Westmorland and Furness through community-led initiatives and partner organisations, and supported by grants for community orchards and micro woodlands.
Community planting grant closing soon!
Our Community Tree and Hedgerow Planting Grant closes Monday 10 March 2025.
The scheme aims to further boost community involvement in planting and ensure that more areas of Westmorland and Furness can benefit from trees and hedgerows.
Grants start from £2,000, with a minimum requirement of 50 trees, which can include a mix of trees and hedgerows (e.g., 20 trees and 30m of hedge). Applications can be submitted in partnership to meet these minimum thresholds and trees can be planted up until March 2026.
For more details on the funding and how to apply, visit: One Tree per Resident | Westmorland and Furness Council.
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Raise supports One Tree per Resident Project
Raise is a key planting partner in our One Tree per Resident project, helping to enhance local green spaces through the 2024-2025 planting season.
This season, three sites on council-owned land - How Tun Woods, Rating Lane in Barrow-in-Furness, and The Muddies in Roose - have been enriched with new trees, bringing lasting benefits to local communities. These plantings will contribute to carbon sequestration, improved air and water quality, habitat creation, and flood and soil erosion reduction.
With approximately 250 trees added across these locations, Raise has played a vital role in supporting the project’s goals. In addition to tree planting, Raise is working alongside local community groups, fostering stronger connections with nature and encouraging ongoing environmental stewardship.
As the planting season draws to a close, these newly planted trees stand as a lasting legacy, supporting biodiversity and climate resilience for years to come.
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Micro woodlands see over 2000 trees planted
In February, we planted around 2,400 native trees and shrubs as part of our micro woodlands initiative, enhancing biodiversity and green spaces across Westmorland and Furness.
Ormsgill Quarry and The Muddies (Roose) in Barrow, along with Vicarage Park in Kendal, each saw around 800 new trees planted, marking the completion of five out of eight planned micro-woodland sites in Westmorland and Furness. The remaining three sites are set to be planted next season.
This initiative has been made possible through £50,000 in funding from the Coronation Living Heritage Fund, a Defra-supported program celebrating the King’s Coronation by creating biodiversity-rich woodland habitats.
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Micro woodlands are small but mighty, transforming urban or degraded land into dense, thriving ecosystems. Their compact design allows for good growth and survival rates and provide a wide range of benefits for people, wildlife and ecosystem services.
A huge thank you to council volunteers who braved the mud and rain to plant at our Barrow sites, and to the local school in Kendal for their efforts at Vicarage Park. Together, we’re making a big impact - one tree at a time!
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Join our upcoming 'Taking Action for Nature in Eden' webinar!
Join us for an engaging online webinar, in partnership with and hosted by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, designed for communities, schools, and parish councils in Eden who are eager to take action for nature!
Whether you're just getting started or are already part of an established group, this informative session will guide you through the practical support, advice, and funding available right on your doorstep.
Gain valuable insights from presentations by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, as well as the council's Climate and Nature Team and Community Development Officers. You’ll also hear inspiring case studies from local groups who are already making a difference.
Find out about the Biodiversity in the Community Toolkit, hear from successful community projects in the area, and learn from the experiences of others. We’ll dive into the Local Nature Recovery Strategy and share information about funding opportunities for biodiversity improvement projects. Plus, you’ll have the chance to tell us what support, resources, and skills you need to help shape future training opportunities.
This is your chance to connect, learn, and make a real impact for nature - don’t miss out!
Event will take place on Zoom on Tuesday 18 March 2025 from 6.30-8.00pm. Book your place now: Taking Action for Nature in Eden | Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
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This month sees Food Waste Action Week, a national campaign run by Love Food Hate Waste to highlight the implications of food waste on our planet.
This year the campaign encourages people to ‘Buy Loose’, highlighting the benefits of buying loose fruit and vegetables and inspiring people to do this wherever they can.
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Did you know?
WRAP research shows that if all apples, bananas and potatoes were sold loose instead of in bags sold by weight, we could save 60,000 tonnes of food waste each year! That's 8.2 million shopping baskets!
Being conscious of what and how we buy of food can make a huge difference to what we eat, reducing how much we throw away, reduction in climate change and potentially how much we spend.
What are the benefits?
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Quantity – for example, you may only need one carrot for your stew, not a whole 1kg bag.
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Quality – pick the exact produce you like the look of.
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Colour – some people like their bananas on the greener side, and some prefer them overripe. You can pick your favourite when you buy loose.
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Size / shape – having jacket potatoes? Choose the right size for every family member – bigger for bigger appetites and smaller for the kids.
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Less plastic – reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic packaging when you buy loose.
For inspiration on how you could save food, save money and save the planet, visit the Love Food Hate Waste website.
Householders in the UK throw away around 9.5 million tonnes of food waste every year - why not do something useful with it instead?
 Just like us, our gardens need feeding! A great way to do this is to make your own compost. You don't need a massive space or budget to compost at home and homemade compost is a great and healthy way to feed your plants without the need for artificial fertilisers.
Composting is a natural process and - like baking a cake! - as long as you put in the right ingredients you should be successful.
Here's what you'll need:
A container
A simple compost heap is great if you've got space but many people prefer to use a compost bin to contain the heap and keep their garden tidy, particularly if they are short of space.
The recipe
A 50/50 mix of 'greens' (tea bags, vegetable peelings, fruit scraps, old flowers, grass cuttings, spent bedding plants) and 'browns' (garden prunings, coffee grounds, tissues and paper napkins, cardboard egg boxes, shredded or scrunched up paper, junk mail), makes great compost.
Remember you can also put in egg shells (to provide minerals to aid plant growth), animal and human hair (good place to empty the tats out of your hairbrush) and even the contents of your vacuum cleaner.
Don't add meat fish or dairy products to your compost bin as this can attract vermin. Cooked vegetables and diseased plants should also be kept out as they can spoil your compost mix.
What next?
Within nine months to a year your compost will be mature enough to use. Don't forget you won't see any 'compost' if you're only looking in the top of your bin - that's the bit where you should see all the recently added material crawling (hopefully!) with worms, slugs and other bugs all chomping away.
Where you need to look is behind the little door/hatch at the bottom of the bin. This is where you'll find your 'garden gold'. Finished compost is always at the bottom of the bin. You'll know it's ready when the compost has turned into a dark, crumbly soil-like substance. Remember to keep adding greens and browns to top up the bin as the material at the bottom matures.
Happy composting!
Want to know more and try out different types of compost bin?
We support a number of compost demonstration sites across Westmorland and Furness - with Master Composters from Garden Organic on hand to provide advice and hands-on training.
Ford Park in Ulverston
In partnership with Ford Park, this site is within the walled garden and directly underneath the Sir John Barrow monument. The site is open to the public Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, sometimes on Saturdays. Volunteer Master Composters are usually available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To arrange a guided visit contact MCCumbria@gardenorganic.org.uk or toby.nicholson@ford-park.org.uk.
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Alpacaly Community Garden near Penrith
In partnership with Alpacaly Community Garden, Alpacaly Ever After and Basecamp North Lakes, this site is open to the public Monday to Sunday, 9am to 5.30pm. Volunteer Master Composters are usually available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. To arrange a guided visit contact garden@alpacalyeverafter.co.uk or MCCumbria@gardenorganic.org.uk.
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A huge congraa-tulations to Hunter Hall School, Patterdale C of E School, and Penruddock Primary School for their 'woolly' impressive efforts in our Baa-ttery recycling challenge! Together, they rounded up an incredible 79kg of used batteries – that’s roughly the weight of two mature Herdwick ewes!
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Since the campaign launched in March, schools across Westmorland and Furness, and Cumberland, have been herding their used batteries into collection points, helping to tackle a shocking statistic - each year, 3.2 million batteries are binned in Cumbria alone. That’s the equivalent of over 3,650 Herdwick sheep in weight!
With the help of Renewi, Valpak Limited, Westmorland and Furness Council, Cumberland Council, and Plus3K, this campaign has not only sparked awareness but also inspired fantastic action among young eco-champions.
A big thank 'ewe' to everyone who took part – your efforts are 'shear' brilliance! Keep up the great work, and let’s keep those batteries out of landfill.
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Not sure where to take your batteries?
It’s easy to think you are doing the right thing by popping dead batteries into your general household waste bin, but did you know that they can cause fires in bin wagons and waste processing plants if you do?
When your waste or recycling is collected, any batteries that are in there are likely to be squashed, compacted, punctured or shredded. When this happens, they can ignite resulting in dangerous fires.
Battery fires in bin lorries and at waste sites in the UK have reached an all time high – with an increase of 71% from 700 in 2022 to over 1,200 in 2024.
Over 1.6bn batteries were thrown away 2023/24 - over 3,000 a minute - including over 1.1bn electricals containing hidden lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are the type of batteries usually found in laptops, tablets and mobile phones as well as some toys, shavers, electric toothbrushes and even e-cigarettes.
Batteries can also hide in toys and other items where it is difficult to remove them if the item no longer works.
Never put them into your general waste bin or any of your home recycling boxes or bags. Always take your used batteries to a proper battery recycling container – you can find them in shops and supermarkets and at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Why not try rechargeable batteries? They could save you money, are overall better for the environment, and can even last longer per charge than most disposable batteries.
As a Love Windermere partner, we are working to improve water quality and safeguard the future of England’s most iconic lake. Windermere’s health affects us all – from local communities to businesses and visitors. And we all have a role in protecting this beautiful lake.
Through the Love Windermere Partnership, experts and organisations are working together to address pollution, land use, and climate impacts. Research and monitoring are helping us better understand Windermere’s water quality.
Sign up for the Love Windermere newsletter to receive the latest updates, scientific insights, and ways to get involved. Click here to subscribe.
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Natural England has launched an important consultation on the Government’s new Land Use Framework (LUF) - and your input is needed!
With growing demands for housing, food production, energy, and nature recovery, it’s crucial to find a sustainable way to manage England’s land. This consultation is a unique opportunity for stakeholders across sectors to influence how we balance economic growth, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
By sharing your views, you can help shape a strategic approach that ensures land is used efficiently, delivering benefits for both people and nature.
The consultation is open for 12 weeks (closes Friday 25 April) - don’t miss your chance to have your say!
Complete the consultation online.
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 In January, 10,000 households in Cumbria were randomly selected from the Royal Mail Address Database to receive an invite to the Cumbria Climate Assembly.
From those who registered an interest to take part, a group of 40 people, who reflect the demographic make-up of residents of the whole of Cumbria, were then randomly chosen to represent the assembly.
Led by Zero Carbon Cumbria, the first session of the assembly got underway on 1 March, bringing together voices from across the community to discuss the urgent challenges and opportunities of tackling climate change.
Over the next eight weeks, five more sessions will take place, each shaping the conversation on how we can build a more sustainable future together, sharing ideas and coming up with a set of recommendations.
This assembly is a vital step in ensuring that local perspectives and innovative ideas drive meaningful action. We look forward to sharing the insights and outcomes from these discussions - stay tuned for updates!
Last October, Cumbria Development Education Centre (CDEC) and Art Gene joined forces for Bioblitz, a hands-on biodiversity survey at Allotment Soup on Walney Island, Barrow.
Allotment Soup is a long-term Art Gene project, actively working with local people in Barrow since 2015 to establish the ‘Isle of Walney Community Growing Space’. This community resource occupies a field, leased from the Council, on Mill Lane, Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness.
More than just an allotment, this thriving community space - nurtured since 2015 - blends food growing, habitat restoration, new ideas and environmental activism. It’s a green space where people and nature grow together.
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After nearly a decade of dedicated rewilding efforts, it was time to measure the impact. Who better to get involved than the next generation of nature champions? Seventy-four young local schoolchildren from St Paul’s Junior School and South Walney Nursery and Infant School got involved with pond dipping, bug hunting, and plant spotting. Equipped with magnifying glasses, reference books, and plenty of curiosity, they documented the space's biodiversity using photographs and videos.
By empowering local children to connect with nature in such a hands-on way, Bioblitz not only gathered valuable ecological data but also planted the seeds for a greener future.
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How we talk about climate change can inspire and motivate people to act, or make it feel more overwhelming and confusing than it needs to be.
By understanding the issues, we can help explain to others why it's important to act on climate change, the scale of that action and how to be part of that change on an individual and community level.
To help, we'll be sharing useful links, events, and highlighting some great resources that help explain the main issues.
Climate Change Committee publishes latest Carbon Budget
Last month, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) published advice relating to the upcoming seventh Carbon Budget which will set the UK’s emissions target for the five-year period 2038-2042.
Read the full report on the CCC website which includes a useful summary video.
The Great Big Green Week webinar
The team at Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) are hosting a free webinar on Wednesday 26 March 2025 at 7pm.
The event will focus on how to fund and promote events during Great Big Green Week in June - covering funding available and how to apply, and how to ensure that the carbon footprint of your event is minimal.
There will be case studies from groups who held events last year who will share their learning and top tips. Promotion and publicity to maximise your audience will also feature, with advice on how to get your message across using posters, press releases and social media, plus idea sharing on how to get the most effective influencing impact from your activities and events.
Sign up to the free webinar: Let's swap ideas for Great Big Green Week!
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