Eco Communities View and Action from: - West Cheshire’s Climate and Nature Action Event at Chester Zoo
Helen Tandy, Founder, Eco Communities
Today, I had the pleasure of attending the West Cheshire Action on Climate and Nature event at Chester Zoo — a fitting venue for a day focused on protecting our planet’s precious biodiversity. The event was hosted by Rose McArthur from Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC), with an inspiring introduction from Jamie Christon, CEO of Chester Zoo, and a heartfelt keynote from Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of the Council.
For Eco Communities, events like this are more than just updates — they’re a chance to connect our shared work in sustainability, net zero, and carbon literacy with the wider movement happening across West Cheshire. It’s always motivating to see so many local partners and residents committed to the same goals: cleaner air, thriving wildlife, and resilient communities.
🌱 Planting the Seeds of Change
One of the headline announcements from the day was West Cheshire’s renewed commitment to carbon neutrality by 2045, with the council itself aiming for 2030. That’s a bold ambition — but one grounded in community action rather than words on a page. The plan includes planting 750,000 trees across 300 hectares, which will capture over 100,000 tonnes of CO₂ and create new habitats for wildlife. Councillor Louise Gittins emphasised that this Climate Emergency Response Plan was co-produced with communities, not imposed on them — and that everyone has a role to play.
Through the Inspire platform, residents, schools, and local groups can share projects, ideas, and progress, building a network of action across the borough. As Louise put it, “We can’t wait for perfect technologies — we have to act now, one project, one community at a time.”
🐝 Bringing Nature Back to Life
It was sobering to hear that Cheshire has lost 99% of its grasslands — but also uplifting to see how many projects are already reversing that trend. The Networks for Nature initiative, led by Steve Illidge, is able to invest through funding over £4 million in habitat restoration, wildlife corridors, and community engagement. The project will train more volunteers as wildlife champions, involve schools, and connect GP practices with outdoor volunteering as part of “green prescribing” — linking nature recovery with mental wellbeing.
Alongside this, the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, led by Roger Goulding, will restore 1,000 hectares of key habitats and reconnect 7 km of the River Gowey floodplain. It’s an inspiring example of how local councils, charities, and landowners can collaborate to rebuild nature at scale.
🌾 Farming for the Future
The event also tackled the important question of how farming fits into the climate and nature story. Encouragingly, the message was that food production and biodiversity don’t have to be in conflict. The Future Farming Group is exploring how sustainable land management can make farms both more productive and more nature-friendly. With the least productive 20% of UK farmland delivering only 3% of calories, restoring those areas to wetlands, meadows, or woodland can actually improve overall resilience, reducing flood risk, improving soil health, and boosting pollination.
As one speaker noted, “The health of our land and the health of our communities are inseparable.”
🌳 Green Spaces for Health and Happiness
Many of us know instinctively how good it feels to spend time outdoors, and the science backs it up. People who live within 300 metres of accessible green space experience lower rates of stress and mental health issues. That’s why projects like The Mersey Forest, led by Paul Nolan, are such an asset to our region. Over the past 30 years, they’ve planted 10 million trees and 96 km of hedgerows, helping to absorb millions of tonnes of CO₂ and create welcoming spaces for people and wildlife alike. The next phase aims for another 900 hectares of woodland by 2030, as well as new “mosaic habitats” and partnerships with local universities to measure the benefits.
💷 Investing in a Greener Tomorrow
One clear takeaway from the event was that short-term projects aren’t enough — we need long-term investment and local leadership to keep the momentum going.
The upcoming devolution deal and creation of a mayoral combined authority by 2027 offer a real chance to join up decisions about transport, housing, energy, and nature. As speakers noted, the region’s £200 billion infrastructure spend over the next few years could be a game-changer if sustainability and biodiversity are built in from the start.
For groups like Eco Communities, this reinforces the importance of strong partnerships and collaboration — making sure that community voices, climate literacy, and local action sit at the heart of decision-making.
🌍 Empowering People, Inspiring Hope
The theme running through the day was empowerment. Whether it’s youth climate forums, eco-councils in schools, or volunteers helping restore rivers and woodlands, local people are leading the way. It was inspiring to hear from Chester Zoo’s Chief Conservation Officer, Kirsten Pullen, who reminded us that climate change and biodiversity loss are inseparable challenges — and that every community can make a difference. The zoo itself aims to empower 10 million people to live sustainably by 2030, while managing 30% of its land for UK biodiversity.
This kind of leadership shows what’s possible when organisations combine science, education, and community spirit.
⚡ Building a Green Workforce for the Future
Another strong theme from the event was the urgent need to grow the clean energy and sustainability workforce across Cheshire and the wider Northwest. With demand for green skills expected to double over the next decade, the region is investing in training and upskilling local people to make sure we can deliver on our net zero goals.
A new £900,000 fund will support skills development until March next year — helping more than 150 workers retrain, particularly those transitioning from gas to hydrogen and clean energy roles. Local businesses, colleges, and training providers are working together to make these opportunities flexible and accessible, especially for smaller employers who often struggle to release staff for training.
Speakers also highlighted the need to remove barriers faced by young people entering green careers. Many internships and placements remain unpaid, creating barriers for those without financial support. There was a clear call to action: to ensure paid, inclusive routes into sustainability jobs, and to recognise young people as experts and change-makers, not just volunteers. Mentorship, flexibility, and accessible opportunities were all identified as key to building a diverse and capable green workforce. The message was clear — the transition to net zero must be fair and inclusive, creating opportunities for everyone to play their part.
At Eco Communities, this resonates deeply. Through our carbon literacy programmes and local partnerships, we see every day how equipping people with knowledge and confidence drives lasting change. The path to net zero isn’t just about technology or infrastructure — it’s about people, skills, and empowerment. This is also why we chose to be part of the Aspirations Day at Trafford Hall at part of the Green Careers Carousel recently - over 250 year 5 & 6 year olds over 2 days in October talking about green jobs.
🌍 The Road Ahead
The West Cheshire Action on Climate and Nature event showed just how much passion and expertise already exists across our communities. From Chester Zoo’s conservation leadership to the council’s net zero commitments, and from grassroots projects to education initiatives, there’s a strong sense that we’re moving forward — together.
For Eco Communities, we’ll continue building on this momentum: connecting people, sharing knowledge, and supporting communities to take meaningful, practical steps towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.
I left the day full of excitement for the various projects in the region and looking forward to supporting this via our work at Eco Communities.......
🌱 Your Turn to Act
At the start of the event, we were all asked to take action — to share what inspires us, connect with others, and commit to one step that will make a difference. So here’s ours: at Eco Communities, we’ll keep championing carbon literacy in the community a new project for us, continue to support communities to take local climate action. We will look to reduce the need for fossil fuels to create single use plastic by championing our existing reusable party and event ware, plus our new Refill scheme both part of our new Full Circle project.
And we’d love to invite you to also do something, whether that’s sharing your story on the Be Inspired platform, joining us at next weeks Sustainable Cheshire Showcase (11/11/25) for tips, or simply starting a conversation in your workplace, school, or street about what net zero, climate and nature emergency means for you. Every action counts, and together we can build the fair, green future our region is aiming for.