WORLD WILDLIFE DAY - 'SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE' AS CITY WILDLIFE CHAMPION LEWIS NELSON CALLS FOR THE PUBLIC TO HELP NATURE THRIVE IN SALFORD

Over the last 12 months the benefits of having time outdoors to enjoy our gardens and greenspaces has been a lifeline opportunity to heal our minds and appreciate the purer things.

With time out in the garden, local parks, Chat Moss or loop-lines and the glimpses of wildlife in a moment of quiet - the year has been a bit more bearable through the most difficult times.

Today, is World Wildlife Day, that is significant, because those seconds with a passing robin, or minutes watching the sparrows play in the hedges makes us feel more humble and human.

We will need to be more humble in the future, because the natural world is changing because of us, at a rate it can't adapt with.

Some scientists are saying that we are living through a mass extinction because of the rate that wildlife and key species are disappearing across the world.

Today, I want to encourage everyone to do an act of kindness for wildlife. It might be ordering some wildflower seeds to scatter, creating a bug hotel or even creating a mini wildlife pond to attract frogs and keep the slugs at bay in your garden.

The small acts we can all make can make a massive difference, our gardens, balconies or even window boxes are our secret weapon in the fight for nature.

Sometimes we might feel helpless and down beat at what's happening around us, but all of us can make change, and turn the tides on what's happening to our wildlife.

We also need to expect better from those in power. A few example of this include the government recently granting emergency use of a bee killing pesticide (neonicotinoids). In other areas we see progress, but at a rate to slow to matter.

The decarbonisation of our economy is happening but needs to be turbo charged, the transition to electric cars is happening but for those who can't afford to move over (which is most of us) we need to see government help to make sure nobody is left behind.

Mosslands and ancient habitats are still disappearing to development and the gardening industry for the peat compost being sold everyday in Salford shops.

The list goes on. The point I'm getting at, is as Salfordians, as people, we have the power to turn this around.

I think that starts with an act kindness for wildlife today - please share your acts of kindness with me on councillor.nelson@salford.gov.uk

Let's do this!

Cadishead Councillor Lewis Nelson was made Salford's Wildlife Champion in 2020 due to his years of relentless campaigning on behalf of wildlife and nature within Salford. Lewis was a regular face at the Barton anti-Fracking protests which ultimately defeated plans by iGas to commit ecological harm on the cities Mosslands as they sought to extract shale gas. He is currently locking horns over plans to build homes in Irlam Moss.