A wildlife trust has urged councillors to sign its pledge with a promise to restore nature in their council areas.

A spokesperson for Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife trust (BBOWT) said: “Nature doesn’t have a vote, so we are speaking up for all local wildlife and the local environment.

“In council elections on Thursday, May 4, over 300 councillors will be elected in 11 councils across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.

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“BBOWT is fighting for nature, and we’re calling on current and future councillors to take their local environment and nature seriously.

“We are asking all current councillors and prospective councillors to make a pledge to take action for nature.”

On the pledge page of the BBOWT website, the names of councillors who have signed the pledge are visible for all to see.

Councillors operating within Cherwell who have signed include Tom Beckett, for Bicester East, Nick Cotter for Bicester South and Ambrosden, James Hartley for Deddington, Mark Chivers for Fringford and Heyfords, Sophie Parker-Manuel for Grimsbury and Hightown, and Fiona Mawson and Ian Middleton for Kidlington East.

The government’s environmental improvement plan published in January sets out the ambition to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042, and restore or create 140,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats outside protected sites by 2028, compared to 2022 levels.

In Addition, the plan aims to roll out local nature recovery strategies to identify areas to create, enhance and restore habitat and deliver environmental benefits.

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1