In order to tackle the climate crisis the council has delivered on its promise to restore nature, strengthen resilience and create places that support people and wildlife.
From plans to reintroduce beavers into carefully managed habitats to the ambition of an orchard in every town, these projects share a common goal: helping communities reconnect with nature while preparing for the challenges of a changing climate.
We have actively supported the reintroduction of beavers on council owned land. This means they are back in the borough for the first time in centuries. Beavers play a central role in preventing floods, cleaning up rivers and improving biodiversity. Their return is not only symbolic, it reflects a practical approach to tackling the climate crisis. The initiative sits alongside the planting of 50,000 trees further strengthening the borough’s natural resilience.
The vision for a new 575 hectare regional park illustrates the scale of what is possible. Early proposals include community-led rewilding, new habitats and targeted tree planting in areas with lower canopy cover. The plan for it is to be a garden for the borough, ensuring that everyone has access to green space where they can relax and play whilst being close to nature.
Delivering these environmental projects sits alongside a major conversation now underway about how we prepare for more extreme weather. The council is consulting on a new Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy for 2026–2038 — a long term plan shaped by residents’ experiences of flooding, heatwaves and storms.
‘More chances to get involved’
The consultation invites people living, working or studying in the borough to share how severe weather has already affected them and to help prioritise practical actions that keep communities safe, healthy and supported.
Workshops across the borough this spring will offer even more chances to get involved in shaping local solutions, from nature based interventions to street level improvements. These community conversations form part of a broader commitment to build resilience fairly — ensuring that those most affected by climate impacts have a meaningful say in the decisions that follow.
Together, projects like the regional park, new orchards, expanded tree planting and the climate resilience strategy point to a shared direction. By restoring nature and planning for future weather, we’re building neighbourhoods that healthier and better prepared for whatever comes next. The council is delivering on tackling climate change.
