Nature spaces ‘need to be right next to where people live’

People should not have to travel far to experience the joys of nature, conservationists have said, as campaigners push for more wildlife-rich green spaces in urban areas.

From Greater Manchester to north London, organisations and volunteers are transforming former industrial land and neglected parks into habitats for wildlife and places for people to enjoy.

Research suggests many people do not have access to parks, woodlands or wetlands within a 15-minute walk of their home, despite evidence that time spent in nature can improve health and wellbeing.

Stephen Cartwright, from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust, said: “We need the places right next to where people live, that are scrappy bits of land.”