Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is set to launch its plans to achieve a Green Recovery across Staffordshire and says restoring the natural world must be a cornerstone in the UK’s economic renewal plan.

To help shape that future, the Trust wants to hear from people across all corners of Staffordshire to hear their thoughts on what they would like to see in a Green Recovery. Questions will include what is your favourite wild place in the county, how do you engage with nature and what green spaces do people think need improving where they live.

Those thoughts and opinions will provide vital feedback for the Trust to pass onto community leaders, decision makers and key influencers at the Green Recovery Summit later this year.

The Trust’s work across the county, including its partnership project work, showcase how investment in nature can bring wildlife back as well as have positive impacts on people and the local landscape. For example, through the Stoke and Urban Newcastle Rediscovering its Secret Environments (SUNRISE) and Transforming the Trent Valley (TTTV) projects, and carrying out Natural Flood Management work using natural processes to help reduce the risk of flooding to people, properties and infrastructure across the county.

Julian Woolford, Chief Executive at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said: “It is now clearer than ever how vital wildlife and our natural world are to the health, wellbeing, and future of all of us. This year, its importance has been highlighted more than ever.

“The loss of the natural world coupled with climate change are the twin crises of our age, and nowhere near enough is being done to meet the challenges they present.

“We saw the stark and alarming details in the State of Nature report which was published last year - over 40 per cent of wild species are in decline since 1970 and 15 per cent threatened with extinction.

“It is our hope to start a conversation and inspire action among decision-makers, showing them how crucial a Green Recovery can be.

“And we want communities and people from across all parts of the county, to help shape how that future can look. The thoughts and opinions they give us will give us crucial data to present to policy makers and community leaders when we hold our Green Summit later this year.”

Anyone wishing to take part in the survey can do so by visiting https://www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/grsurvey