Growing Nature and Community – A Denbighshire Wide Green Infrastructure Project

Denbighshire County Council has successfully utilised UKSPF funding to deliver a transformative green infrastructure project across 18 sites, designed to restore nature, improve public access, and build climate resilience. The initiative brought together countryside service teams, the national landscape organisation, schools, and volunteers in a collaborative effort to create lasting environmental and social impact.

One of the standout successes of the project was the creation of the Henllan Community Nature Space, developed in partnership with Ysgol Henllan, community volunteers, Denbighshire Countryside Service rangers, and specialist contractors.

 Last year, pupils from Ysgol Henllan helped plant over 2,000 trees, contributing to the transformation of the area. Their efforts supported the development of new footpaths, wildflower meadows, a pond, a picnic area, an insect hibernaculum (or “bee bank”), and an outdoor classroom. These features not only enhance biodiversity but also offer a peaceful and educational space for the community.

 Councillors from Denbighshire and Henllan Community Council recently visited the site to celebrate its completion and hear from ranger about its ecological and social benefits.

 “I want to thank the school for creating an important addition to Henllan’s history… I hope that the pupils, as the first of future generations, will be able to watch with pride how their trees mature and the site evolves for many years to come.”

Cllr Barry Mellor

Henllan is one of  the  many projects running accross Denbighshire that focus on regenerating outdoor spaces and have generated four community nature spaces completed this year, alongside similar developments in Rhyl, St Asaph, and Clocaenog. Together, these sites contribute to Denbighshire’s Climate and Nature Strategy, supporting woodland creation, nature recovery, and carbon sequestration.

 Community involvement has been pivotal to the projects success. The project supported 26 volunteer opportunities and provided training for over 1,200 individuals in traditional countryside skills such as hedge-laying and meadow-scything. Schools played a vital role, with pupils actively participating in planting and learning activities, helping to build a legacy for future generations.

 This initiative stands as a powerful example of how local authorities, organisations, and communities can work together to restore nature, tackle climate change, and create spaces that benefit both people and the planet.