Birmingham recognised for its passion for nature

I must have looked strange, crouched down between a shop-front and a garden wall on the Coventry Road, with camera hanging off shoulder and phone in hand pointing it at an often overlooked but subtly beautiful wildflower called Pellitory of the Wall. I was bound to attract attention as I often do while weaving my way through the heart of the city recording its wildlife.

A question rose from above the sound of the passing traffic: “Have you found a special plant?” I turned to where the inquisitive voice came from and a tall young guy of Afro-Caribbean decent was getting out of his car. 

“They are all special, my friend,” I replied, and adding: “I’m recording them all to celebrate and protect the nature that we have in the heart of our city and to inspire us to create more green space together for everyone.” 

Without the experience that I have of the heart of Brummies in these situations, I might have expected comments like “get a life” or “how does that pay my bills?” but, as is most often the case, the response from this gentleman was: “Keep it up, we need it.”

Embedding nature into everyday life

If I was stood in Bordesley a few hundred years ago, I would have been surrounded by wildlife, and the chances are passers-by would know their native flowers, but, by the time that Birmingham had earned its “City of a Thousand Trades” nickname, we were firmly set on a path that would take most Brummies away from the nature that sustains them. 

Today, around 85% of people, and rising, in the UK live in cities. As a society, we have divorced ourselves from something critical to our lives and future. We also forgot to bring nature with us into our cities.

However, once again, our great city is a pioneer. Birmingham made history earlier this month by becoming the UK’s first official “Nature City” because it has a bold vision to embed nature into everyday life through its ambitious 25-year City of Nature Plan. 

Birmingham is set to become a “City of a 1,000 Green Spaces”, but why is that so important?

Unlocking Brums’ full potential through nature

Clues as to why we should be so excited about Birmingham becoming the country’s first Nature City can be found in some of the statements made during the launch of the Nature Towns and Cities Programme founded by Natural England, The National Lottery and National Trust.

Oliver Harmar, chief strategy officer at Natural England, said: “Connection with nature isn’t just nice to have, it genuinely improves our mental and physical health. We’re talking about seeing nature as part of our healthcare and wellbeing and boosting local economies.”

Majid Mahmood, Birmingham city council cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “We work with community groups like Birmingham Tree People to plant trees in inner city areas such as Alum Rock and in partnership with National Trust we’ve developed pocket parks across neighbourhoods. These are small but impactful green spaces that bring nature to people’s doorsteps whilst supporting wellbeing, biodiversity and community pride.”

For me the power of nature to unlock our city’s full potential can be seen by looking at a passing bus. There might be 50 passengers on that bus, contributing to the city through their work, creativity, education, parenting, other care and community work. If more people on that bus are connected to nature, they will get off it and give more to the city by being in a better mood and state of mind to unlock their creativity and full potential. 

If the children get off the bus to learn about and connect with local nature in their schools, then they will be happier, healthier and go on to care for their neighbourhoods, building pride in place. 

Hospital patients recover faster from surgery by simply looking out of their ward window into nature so imagine the potential that would be unleashed if the bus were to journey through greener neighbourhoods. We can all thrive.

The right type of green

Pioneers are often prone to heading off in the wrong direction. After all there is no well-worn best path to follow when you are leading the way.

To restore the critical life systems that support us we need nature to thrive and cannot simply greenwash the landscape. The amount and variety of birdsong and dancing butterflies tell us how well nature is doing and so how healthy our neighbourhoods are. 

Birds and butterflies need thriving green spaces filled with native wildlife species. In this respect Birmingham is truly blessed because it is well endowed with the individuals and organisations that possess the knowledge and passion to create a truly thriving Nature City together for the good of all Brummies. 

Our great city also has a strong network of volunteer-led community groups, rooted in neighbourhoods, that are friends of the city’s open spaces. This is the framework upon which something truly magical can be built that inspires the rest of the world. 

Emily Dickinson’s words in the poem “Hope is the thing with feathers” feels like they were meant for Brum and its people:

Hope is the thing with feathers, 

That perches in the soul. 

And sings the tune without the words, 

And never stops at all.

Hope lies in the passionate hearts of Brummies and the fact that Birmingham has been crowned as the UK’s first Nature City shows that, together, we not only have the power to drive the world forward but to take it above and beyond.