Vote for a Wild Mayor!

Bristol is a fantastic place to live and work, but it could be even better

In this, nature and the natural world have a real role improving people’s well-being and health and achieving sustainable economic development.

This is why Avon Wildlife Trust, RSPB, National Trust, CPRE and The Woodland Trust, with a combined membership of over 100,000 in Bristol, have joined forces for the ‘Wild Mayor Campaign’.

The campaign focuses on five issues for wildlife and people that we know that Bristol’s elected Mayor could significantly influence. Each issue has an associated pledge for the candidates to support:

Nature rich green space for all

Bristol is fortunate in having a wealth of green space, but as never before this is under threat.

Properly protected and enhanced this nature rich ‘green infrastructure’ makes Bristol a good place to live, work, and do business. It adds tangible value to the cities communities, providing places that are more resilient to climate change, and that have distinct local character. It allows people to connect with nature as part of everyday life and makes for a healthy city.

As a candidate, will you sign our pledge? If elected Mayor I would protect and enhance existing green spaces and create others to provide a natural network that both protects wildlife and helps make Bristol a better healthy place to live, work and do business.

A city rich in wildlife

Bristol’s buildings, streets, gardens and allotments can support a remarkable diversity of wildlife.

From street trees and woodlands to swifts, bees and frogs, the city can come to life. Can we imagine a time when a third of the city is under leaf? A time when the city supports a healthy population of swifts and house sparrows? A time when our gardens buzz in summer? We start from a good place. But there’s so much more that can be done.

As a candidate, will you sign our pledge? If elected Mayor I would commit to doing everything possible to enhance urban wildlife. I would create wildlife friendly neighbourhoods, I would commit to no net loss in biodiversity within the city and work hard to increase the populations of vulnerable species. I would be proactive in ensuring Bristol’s tree cover is increased to 30 percent. I would do this knowing the innumerable benefits this brings to the people of Bristol.

Reconnecting children with nature

One of the greatest threats facing our natural environment is people’s growing disconnection to nature, especially that of children.

If people don’t have this connection, they’re less likely to realise its value or feel a sense of responsibility to save it. Accompanying this, the current generation of children are the least active of any previous one, spending little of their leisure time outside. Medical professionals know this inactivity will result in them suffering more ill health, including obesity and mental health problems, in later life. However, there is abundant evidence that shows that learning and playing in nature rich green spaces improves people’s health and well-being.

As a candidate, will you sign our pledge? If elected Mayor, I would use my leadership role to ensure all children in Bristol spend more time learning about and experiencing the natural world to improve their well-being and to help them understand their connection with, and responsibility towards, nature.

A Green capital that has nature at its heart

Bristol has twice failed to become a European Green Capital, most recently losing to Copenhagen. Its strong green credentials would be really enhanced by putting nature at the heart of its next bid.

This would demand recognition and help win the many benefits such an award would bring.

As a candidate, will you sign our pledge? If elected Mayor, I would lead the process of Bristol becoming recognised as European Green Capital by adding a distinctive nature theme at its heart.

Severn tidal power in harmony with the natural environment

We need a renewable energy revolution to combat damaging climate change. However, if energy developments are not to put even more pressure on our natural environment we need to make sure we use the right renewables technology in the right places.

The Severn estuary could provide massive amounts of green power. But it’s vital that this is done in a way that does not bring disaster to the abundant wildlife the estuary supports. We need innovation not decimation.

As a candidate, will you sign our pledge? If elected Mayor, I would use my leadership role to encourage the use of technologies that harness the energy of the Severn without damaging their internationally important wildlife sites.

Within a week of launching the campaign, five of the candidates had given us their full support:
Cllr Jon Rogers (Liberal Democrats), Marvin Rees (Labour), George Ferguson (Independent), Cllr Geoff Gollop (Conservative), and Daniella Radice (Green Party).

But of course it doesn’t stop there. What we’d now like is for our supporters to get involved …

What are your three wishes for Bristol’s wildlife?

Would you like to see more trees? Would you like to see green space better protected? Would you like a real commitment from the Bristol mayor to protecting declining species such as house sparrows and swifts? Would you like to see tidal power generated from the Severn, but with the estuary’s wildlife protected?

These are just some of the many things you might consider in sending three wildlife wishes to the candidates via the Bristol Manifesto website, there’s a link at the bottom of the page.

Remember, the more people that show your support for wildlife, the more likely it is that the future Bristol Mayor will know that wildlife really matters to people.