Here’s your chance to contribute to a green strategy for Essex

Essex, as most of are aware, is earmarked for extensive urban growth in the coming years, but all is not necessarily lost for our natural environment.
The county council has produced a draft Green Essex Strategy to highlight the importance of establishing green infrastructure and spaces to accompany development over the next 20 years. And, critically, it wants to know your views.
Green infrastructure comprises natural and semi-natural assets and habitat types, green and blue spaces and other environmental features that maintain and enhance the ecosystem services.
Essentially, it’s a potential win-win for our health and well-being, as well as ecological interests and the economy.
In the context of this strategy, green infrastructure includes:

• parks and gardens
• natural and semi-natural open spaces
• ancient woodlands
• reservoirs, lakes and ponds
• coastal features
• waterways (watercourses)
• greenways (public rights of way, footpaths, cycleways and tracks, byways and bridleways)
• outdoor sport facilities (sport pitches)
• open spaces and premises
• cemeteries and churchyards
• allotments, community gardens and city farms
• agricultural land and meadows
• public realm/civic spaces (urban greening: urban and street trees, road verges, green walls, sustainable urban drainage and natural flood management)

The Green Essex Strategy “aims to take a positive approach to enhance, protect and create an integrated network of high-quality green infrastructure in Essex” and “help ensure funding opportunities are maximised in the delivery of multi-functional natural assets which will provide a range of benefits”.
The draft has been prepared by a county council cross-directorate steering group, with stakeholders engaged at various stages to help develop the initial consultation version.
The county council is consulting with the public “to enable you and other stakeholders to provide feedback on this draft Green Essex Strategy and to get an understanding of your use of green spaces”.
Comments will help finalise the strategy, identify priorities and develop the Green Essex action plan.

You can learn more and contribute to the draft Green Essex Strategy here

Alternatively, a hard copy is available to view at the following libraries:

• Basildon
• Braintree
• Brentwood
• Canvey Island
• Chelmsford
• Clacton
• Colchester
• Epping
• Harlow
• Maldon
• Rayleigh
• Rochford

The consultation closes on Friday, July 5. If you do not want to answer the consultation questions but would still like to comment, you can email your response to environment@essex.gov.uk

Wednesday, June 19, 2019