2019 is the Year of Green Action, the purpose of which is to encourage and enable people from all backgrounds to get involved with learning about and improving our natural environment.

Originally proposed in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, the Year of Green Action aims to create inspiration, promote engagement and help us understand the impact of our choices on the natural environment.

South West Lakes Trust (SWLT) has a long standing and mutual partnership with South West Water (SWW) to manage their reservoirs for conservation, access and recreation. For the Year of Green Action and beyond, the charity will also be working with SWW to highlight the importance of water sustainability and further enhance the natural environments of our special inland waters in the south west by encouraging visitors to get involved.

Celebrating this initiative on World Wildlife Day (Sunday 3 March), South West Water’s Director of Environment Ed Mitchell said: “South West Water’s day-to-day activities depend on a healthy natural environment and we want to continue to play our part in protecting it as well as encouraging our customers to do so.”

“The Year of Green Action is designed to demonstrate the power of collective action so it’s great to be using our partnership with South West Lakes Trust to help even more people to join in activities, volunteer and learn more about our beautiful environment and what we can all do to improve it.”

SWLT’s Chief Executive Andy Parsons said, “As a charity which prides itself on its care for the environment around our lakes, we are looking forward to being part of the Year of Green Action with South West Water and during the first half of 2019, we will be delivering a number of events and campaigns, starting with National Conservation Week on the 18 March. Throughout the week there will be a number of opportunities for visitors to get involved with learning about or helping the plants and wildlife around the lakes.”

“We are also looking to further our work in this area later in the year, to support SWW’s mission to reduce to household water consumption, alongside raising public awareness of what we as consumers put down our sinks and toilets and creating more opportunities for people to get involved in helping to look after their local lake.”

South West Lakes Trust is aiming to engage with visitors across its region which now also includes locations in Bournemouth, alongside popular destinations such as Burrator Reservoir, Wimbleball Lake and Roadford Lake.

Our events celebrating National Conservation:

17 March – Birdwatching Walk at Stithians Lake, 9.30am led by Beth Cross, Senior Warden and Dan Chaney, Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society

19 March – Volunteer Day at Roadford, clearing willow

19 March – Spring Planting at Wimbleball

21 March – Spring into Action at Fernworthy – bird hide enhancements: meet our wardens Sam and Mark and other like-minded people helping to clear willow and gorse. (This event requires booking)

24 March – Pop Up ‘n’ Spring into Action! – Hedging our Bets! (Hedge planting) Siblyback Lake – led by Warden Nige Tomkinson

31 March – Pop Up ‘n’ Plug Plant – Help enhance/create meadow areas for wildlife around Siblyback Lake Play Area – led by Warden Nige Tomkinson

To find out about upcoming events near you, click here, or follow SW Lakes on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.