10.0 Looking further afield: How can you spread your influence?

          Stay informed

Keep your group up to date with developments in your local area and throughout Sheffield. Attend the meetings and events of other local community groups and wildlife groups. Take part in their activities and they will be more likely to take part in yours. By co-ordinating activity and making friends and useful contacts, you will be able to integrate your green space project into the fabric of the community and then find it easier to spread your green space message. Keep abreast of new national environmental initiatives such as the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and the Agenda 21 process. and use your green space to implement them in your local area. There are several local networks and forums operating in Sheffield, which are useful for gathering and exchanging information. (See section on 2.2, Joining others).

Sheffield Environmental Training produce ‘Environmental Action in South Yorkshire’, a comprehansive address and contaxts directory of all environmental organisations in Sheffield, and some natiional ones too. To recive a copy or to have your organisation included contact:

Learn more

If a long term vision for your green space is to be achieved, then it is vital for that your group continues to learn, gain experience and increase knowledge of environmental issues and conservation techniques. Learn as much as you can about environmental matters by watching television programmes, reading books, newspapers, and magazines, and attending meetings of wildlife groups.

Many conservation organisations run excellent courses that can boost your expertise in areas such as survey techniques and woodland management. See sections on 4.0, Knowing your green space and 8.4.2, Woodland management.

Improve your natural history and species identification skills. A good way to achieve this is to become a member of the Sorby Natural History Society and get involved in their field trips, lectures, bat walks and other interesting activities. The University of Sheffield also runs an evening class ‘ Certificate in Natural History’, through its Division of Adult Continuing Education Contact:

Understand the Biodiversity and Agenda 21 process by reading available literature. Familiarise your group with the technical details of the individual species and habitat action plans in the Sheffield Biodiversity Action Plan, relevant to your area and work to achieve their targets.

Get involved with other likeminded groups and use the expertise you have gathered to help others begin their own projects. Share the knowledge you have gained by producing a newsletter or information leaflets on something that worked well on your site. Make sure species records from your site are given to the Sheffield Biological Record Centre so that they can monitor Sheffield’s wildlife populations.

Write letters to local and national newspapers, inform your local councillor, MP, and MEP of your views on environmental matters and anything which could affect your green space for better or worse. Get others to do so too. If there could be any changes to council policies that would help you achieve your green space vision, tell your councillors about them. Likewise, if there could be changes made to government policy or legislation that would benefit your local environment, tell your MP

You can help by pledging your support for people campaigning against the destruction of trees, wildlife habitats, and open spaces. Support national and international campaigns being run by organisations like The Wildlife Trusts (see section 6.0 for address), Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, the RSPB (see section 8.7.1 for address) etc. Despite widespread suspicion to the contrary, politicians are often influenced by public opinion, so it is important they know the feelings of their electorate about sensitive issues. You can contact Friends of the Earth at:

Sheffield Friends of the Earth

There are several excellent books about how to set up and run your own campaign, information on which should be available from Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace etc.

Your green space means a lot less, if you do not educate people about its intrinsic value. If you haven’t already, become part of a community group such as a tenants’ association, residents’ organisation, civic trust, heritage society etc. You can become a member or even get elected to the committee. Or just go along to their meetings and make your voice heard on matters affecting the environment locally and globally. If possible, get someone from your group to give them a talk or slide show about what you are doing and how it benefits the community they represent and its wildlife.

Visit schools, if possible; talk to the pupils, and try to persuade the teachers to get the children involved in your green space, educationally and recreationally. Incorporate what you are doing into the school’s environmental education programme as specified in the 5 - 14 curriculum. Relate it to Agenda 21 and the implementation in your area of the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Education and Development at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio. Link up with Local Nature Reserves, country parks, and heritage museums. You can ask them to display posters publicising your site on their notice board. Even

tually Sheffield will be transformed into a living ‘web’ of green space, woven into the heart of each community.

Now that you have read this Wild Web 2000 Action Pack should be well equipped to start work on your project. It won’t all be easy, but it should be fun and rewarding if you go about things in the proper way.

Remember, there are lots of people willing and eager to help and support you. So never be afraid to ask for advice or seek the opinions of others who, like yourself, genuinely care about our environment, especially in towns and cities.

They, too, had to learn. They had to ask questions and come up with the right answers.

Always keep hold of your vision, never give up on your dreams. What you are doing is worthwhile and meaningful.

It is vital for your community, its wildlife, and for the planet on which we live that you never lose sight of your vision.

It will give you a new perspective about your role in life, and how you can change your surroundings for the better, irrespective of where you live.

Your green space site will be your legacy for future generations, and it will be your own little paradise which you yourself have transformed and created.