A quarter of a million pounds in funding is set to be used to help reduce carbon emissions across the district.
Malvern Hills District Council has allocated £250,000 to the Destination Zero Fund (DZF) to support the delivery the environmental actions within its Destination Zero plan.
The Destination Zero plan was approved in 2020 following the declaration of a climate emergency. It sets out the aim of achieving net-zero carbon emissions as quickly as possible, with the council's own operations becoming carbon-neutral by 2030 and the district as a whole by 2050 at the latest.
The Malvern Hills DZF will include Destination Zero Crowdfunding where £100,000 will be dedicated to a specific Spacehive crowdfunding pot to support environmental, community-led projects.
This will build on the already successful crowdfunding programme in the district and enable the council to provide match funding to eligible projects that attract a good level of community support.
Up to £75,000 will be used to fund additional officer resource to support the delivery of biodiversity/habitat improvement and carbon sequestration projects.
This role will be critical for the delivery of habitat restoration and creation schemes, including project managing contractors and volunteers, partnership working external organisation as well as community engagement and ongoing monitoring.
£15k will be used to implement biodiversity projects that support the priorities of the Destination Zero plan. In addition to additional officer resource, this funding will enable the delivery of practical biodiversity enhancements as well as being used as matching funding to attract additional external funds. £25,000 will also be used for Wildflower Verge Management across the district on council-owned land.
As well as this, £35,000 will go towards delivering initiatives that will encourage low carbon travel using sustainable transport, specifically walking and cycling.
Cllr Sarah Rouse, Leader of Malvern Hills District Council, said: "This is a great step in helping us to achieve our goal of making the Malvern Hills District carbon-neutral by 2050. However, we cannot achieve this alone, through this funding we can enable communities and all those who make an impact to come together".
Visit www.malvernhills.gov.uk/about-your-council/tackling-climate-change to read more about Destination Zero plan.
