Local communities and neighbourhoods

Local communities are the people who live in, use and enjoy the natural spaces around them. This puts them in a strong position to notice changes such as habitat loss, pollution or declining wildlife, and to take action to address them. They also hold valuable local knowledge about the places and species around them. Communities can develop a shared sense of responsibility for the places and natural resources they depend on. Creating this sense of ownership is important for long-term environmental protection, as people are more likely to care for and protect places they feel connected to. Working together, local residents can improve their surroundings, support biodiversity and help ensure that local natural resources remain healthy for future generations.

Useful tools for local communities

CommuniMap: developed by the GALLANT project at the University of Glasgow, lets you record and share what you notice in your neighbourhood, from wildlife and trees to water, composting and local climate issues. Use it with your community to build a shared picture of your local environment and identify changes over time.
Link to the app

Nature's Calendar: a citizen-science project created by the Woodland Trust, lets you record seasonal changes such as when trees come into leaf or flowers bloom. Use it with your neighbours to track these changes and help scientists understand how nature is responding to weather and climate change.

Link to Nature's Calendar website

iNaturalist: photograph and identify plants, insects, birds and other wildlife. Share your observations to build a record of the species found in your neighbourhood and contribute to biodiversity research.

Link to iNaturalist's website

Library of Things: allows people to borrow items they only need occasionally, such as tools, gardening equipment and cleaning equipment. It can help neighbourhoods reduce consumption and waste while making useful equipment more affordable and encouraging people to share resources.

Link to website

Treezilla: a UK citizen-science project that allows people to map trees in their neighbourhood and record information about them. Communities can use it to understand what trees they already have, identify gaps and build a picture of the benefits that local trees provide.

Visit Treezilla's website

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