Country Landscapes' leadership holds Professional Membership of the Aboricultural Association and is continuing to work hard to make a difference on our own doorsteps working in the Northern Branch of the Arboricultural Association to help drive various initiatives in our local communities. 

27th October 2023 - Northern Branch Arboricultural Association

The Country Landscapes Team attended the Northern Branch Arboricultural Association Seminar.

At this meeting, the VISION and MISSION were set out.

The challenge and need is to work better with communities and corporates to improve our environment

and fire up strategic change.

The recent meeting identified the need to address lack of progress in respect of increasing urban tree cover over the last three decades, and lack of protection of mature trees; and decline of tree cover and eco-systems..... 

According to Global Forest Watch, in 2010 Bolton had 2.01 kha of tree cover, extending over 14% of its land area  - in 2022, it has lost 2 ha of tree cover.   Loss of tree cover also means loss of habitat and wildlife but climate changes and low business sustainability mean higher costs for businesses.

THE VISION - STRATEGY - FOR OUTCOMES

It’s essential to go beyond business as usual, highlight best practice, and ensure trust from stakeholder perspectives....making pro-environmental adjustments to organisations is going to take time” (Heseltine Institute 2019) and a more strategic approach is needed:-

• Setting out objectives for successful climate change adaptation

• Deployment of strategy - to achieve beneficial outcomes

• Follow-through resulting in Stakeholder Value and successful outcomes #

# Outcomes include addressing resonating societal problems - counter anti‐social behaviour with interaction crossing generations and facilitating eco-diversity (starting with green corridors and linking allotment provision (and waiting lists!)

The Roadmap  - Our MISSION

By working together, building on strengths – such as the sense of community, listening/surveying stakeholders, crystallisation of positive shared views, identifying outcomes and ensuring community groups are actively involved, we can help ensure greater political engagement, support and urgent / timely action.

In many organisations policy congruence appears haphazard and lacks follow through.  For example allocation of financial and non-financial resources to move towards clean energy initiatives is red flagged but often lacks action.  If we accept in most organisations the "Leaders job is to get things done"  (Hirst 2019) - it's clear that we need to better support leadership - with detailed forecasts of scenario outcomes - costs of not acting, and road mapping to accomplish clear stakeholder benefits.

Initiatives discussed included making green corridors and addressing the lack of community allotments - that will improve wellbeing, improve eco-diversity and reduce dangerously high temperatures in our towns.

The Mission was set out ....

The Road map aims to champion several initiatives to address local sustainability and generate clear stakeholder benefits.

3 Initiatives Set Out include:-

Urban Green Corridors – in many areas making green corridors and addressing the lack of community allotments will improve wellbeing, improve eco-diversity and reduce high temperatures.

Tree of Merit - community engagement to protect our valuable trees, working with Bolton at Home.

#CEnvOnBoard- championing sustainability in boardrooms