More than half a million pounds of Welsh Government funding for environmental and community projects

A total of 17 projects across Wales will benefit from grants of between £5,000 and £50,000 in the latest round of grant award funding announced by Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths today.

Now entering its 2nd year, the scheme funds local community and environmental projects that support biodiversity, waste minimisation or improve community spaces in areas affected by disposals to landfill.

Since it launched last year, a total of 44 projects have now been awarded funding through the scheme, which is managed by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) and funded by the new Welsh Landfill Disposals Tax (LDT), which replaced UK Landfill Tax in April 2018.

It is the first time that money raised from the Landfill Disposals Tax, which is has been used to support a bespoke Welsh funding scheme.

Successful projects focusing on the environment, wildlife, reuse, biodiversity and waste management will receive funding through the scheme.

To be eligible for funding projects must be within a 5 mile radius of a landfill site, or waste transfer station, and sending a minimum of 2,000 tonnes of waste to landfill each year.

Projects benefitting from funding include:

• an outdoor play area in Waunarlwydd, Swansea, will bring play for all ages to the village and encourage more children to be active and use the park, benefiting from £42,600 of funding.
• a Coedwig Môn Woodland Improvement Project in Anglesey will implement a restoration programme to enhance the habitat value of a neglected woodland. It will benefit from £49,944 of funding.
• the Hendy Community Nature Trail provides access to the flora and fauna of Burry Estuary. The project aims to bring Hendy's green space back in to community use, through a series of talks and tours by local volunteers, and will benefit from £43,813 of funding.
• the Swansea Canal Regeneration - Valleys Heritage Inspiring Our Future project will transform the Swansea Canal into a premier heritage destination and centre for recreation. It will benefit from £30,746 of funding.
• the Cadw Natur Mewn Cof – Nature in Mind project in Ceredigion will work with the local community to restore and enhance the biodiversity of various habitats at Denmark Farm Conservation Centre. The project will benefit from £49,981 of funding.
• the North Wales Little Tern Community Conservation Project will benefit from funding to employ wardens to protect the site, contribute to the scientific study of Little Terns and work with volunteers to conserve the nesting site. This project will benefit from £49,999 of funding.
• the Healthy Reds project in Ceredigion will work to save red squirrels in Wales by engaging with local volunteers to undertake habitat and squirrel surveys in Clywedog Forest. This project will benefit from £49,999.

The 3rd round of the LDTCS opened in May this year with a closing date for applications of 21 July. Successful projects from the 3rd round will be able to start work from 14 October.

Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said:

It is wonderful to see the vast array of projects gaining funding through this scheme - benefitting not just the environment through projects protecting and restoring woodlands, but also supporting communities and giving them the opportunity to take responsibility for it themselves. It is also pleasing to see the conservation benefits, with littler terns and red squirrels enjoying protection.

Encouraging eligible communities to apply for the 3rd round, Minister for Finance and Trefnydd, Rebecca Evans said:

I am pleased that funding from the latest round of this scheme is continuing to support local projects which will have a positive impact on our environment through their support for biodiversity, the minimisation of waste, and improvement of community spaces.

The scheme, which is designed to improve social and environmental wellbeing in communities affected by landfill, is managed by Wales Council for Voluntary Action Catherine Miller, WCVA’s Grant Funds Manager, said:

It’s great to see the scheme attracting applicants of all kinds and sizes. There is some great community led action coming out of projects already and with these new awards, it is even clearer to see that there will be lots of activity to help make these communities better places to live, now and in the long term.

The closing date for bids is 21 July 2019.