Biodiversity and nature has been enhanced across the Wales and Borders rail network through Transport for Wales’ (TfW) Green Routes project.
The 18-month long initiative has been used to create green spaces and enhance biodiversity at 25 TfW railway stations and five community areas located within a mile of a station.
Working alongside the TfW sustainability and community rail teams, 176 volunteers have helped to enhance more than 1,000sqm of land for biodiversity, installed 125 planters at stations, and put in place more than 300 green features.
The Green Routes project was supported by £100,000 in funding from The National Heritage Lottery Fund through the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature Scheme. Almost 80% of the funding was spent with Welsh local businesses and organisations.
Dr Louise Moon, sustainable development programme manager at TfW, said: “The project has been a huge success, helping to improve biodiversity at stations throughout Wales and make them more colourful and welcoming spaces for our passengers.
“A number of teams across TfW have worked hard to bring the project together and we have to pay tribute to the work of our community volunteers and station adopters across the country. We’re proud to have worked them on this project in being able to support their ambitions and aspirations in creating green spaces which not only support biodiversity but also supports the health and wellbeing of local people and communities.”
TfW’s initial ecological monitoring shows that nature is returning to stations and nearby community spaces with increased species abundance and pollinator improvements recorded. The Green Routes project is estimated to have increased the number of species at stations by more than 700, and there have been more than 3,000 estimated pollinator improvements to date.
For more information, including details of the stations involved in the project, visit Green routes | Transport for Wales (tfw.wales).
You can read our report on community rail and biodiversity here.
