In photos: Bristol’s climate news – November 2024

The regional Local Nature Recovery Strategy, the first in England, was launched at the annual West of England Nature Partnership conference. It has been called a ‘roadmap for restoring, reconnecting, and recovering nature’ – photo: Anna Barclay

Kerry McCarthy MP, metro mayor Dan Norris and Tony Juniper CBE, chair of Natural England which co-developed the Strategy, said the planwill kickstart collaborative action to restore landscapes and habitats at scale – photo: Anna Barclay

WENP has collaborated with the Bristol Zoological Society to reintroduce water voles – Britain’s fastest declining mammal – to Lawrence Weston watereways where this one was spotted. Norris told Bristol24/7 the action plan could also result in the return of pine martens and white-tailed eagles to the region – photo: Dan Hodson

The Bottle Yard studios and Picture Zero have been pioneering sustainable approaches in TV production, this month recycling the set of the BBC’s Wolf Hall which will be repurposed for new projects by media students, theatre makers and the White Horse Military Show – photo: Picture Zero

The production and studios together rehomed over 23 tonnes of scenery, which would have generated around 10 tonnes of CO2 emissions if it had been sent to landfill – photo: Picture Zero

Forest of Avon took advantage of National Tree Week (November 23 – December 1 this year) to run the first tree planting session of the year, planting a hedgerow at a site just outside Bath – photo: Forest of Avon

They also ran a winter tree pruning workshop where volunteers learned how to care for the apple and pear trees at Tormarton Crescent Henbury, Bristol – photo: Forest of Avon

The Trust’s health and wellbeing groups – including people living with dementia and their carers – have been making nature-inspired decorations amongst the trees this month – photos: Forest of Avon

Anti-advertising actions swept Bristol in response to this year’s Black Friday, with Adblock protesting the encouragement of unsustainable overconsumption and use of carbon-heavy digital screens – photo: Adblock Bristol

Other actions across the city included a new mural highlighting ableism by artist Daisy Hunter on the St Werburgh’s community billboard; ‘boohoo is using you’ stickers plastered across ads by art collective Creative Response to Apocalyptic Programming; and ad panels without planning permission hacked by Ad Break – photo: Adblock Bristol

Winter is tree planting season, and National Tree Week takes place in November, encouraging many tree-based activities, like families getting involved with Avon Needs Trees – photo: Alexander Turner

The charity has involved local primary school children in the planning and planting of the new 422 acre Lower Chew Forest, near Pensford – photo: Alexander Turner

Member of Bristol’s Climate Choir took part in an action at the British Museum protesting their recent acceptance of a £50m donation from BP for their 10-year development plan – photo: Crispin Hughes

The Climate Choir Movement flash mob, comprising around two hundred, stood up in the Museum’s cafe and broke into three-part harmony to sing: ‘It’s time to drop BP! Don’t take their dirty money!’ – photo: Crispin Hughes

The council has committed to invest £1m in nature, following a successful bid to WECA’s Green Recovery Fund – photo: Bristol City Council

Activities will include trialling new grass cutting practices in at least 35 parks across the city to support wildflowers, butterflies and pollinators, river and woodland restoration work, and creation of five new ponds – photo: Bristol City Council

Bristol climate stakeholders gathered to mark the halfway point between the city’s declaration of a climate emergency and its net zero targets, to assess progress and consider next steps – photo: ShamPhat

After announcing its plans to expand to 15m passengers per year, activists branded Bristol Airport “utterly irresponsible,” saying they are showing “contempt” for the local community and environment – photo: Bristol Airport Action Network

Sapling whips are being gathered in preparation for planting of tends of thousands of trees this winter at the Lower Chew Forest site in Somerset – photo: Alexander Turner

Volunteers have started laying the groundwork and putting in hedgerows, but more funds are needed before work can start in earnest – photo: Alexander Turner

Avon Needs Trees raised the money to buy the 422 acre site earlier this year, and has now launched a second crowdfunder to support the planting of 50,000 trees this winter and the same this time next year, in order to create ‘the south west’s largest new forest for a generation’ – photo: Alexander Turner

The forest will store or avert 54,000 tonnes of carbon over the next 30 years; boost habitats and biodiversity; reduce flooding; and create at least 5km of new footpaths – photo: Alexander Turner