Another positive step forward is our work with Engie, a leading energy and services company focused on three key activities: production and supply of low carbon energy, services and regeneration. We appointed them earlier this year to carry out an energy audit on our top ten energy use buildings. We have now received the final report which sets out a roadmap to carbon neutrality by 2030 and are now considering our next steps to implement some of their recommendations.

Britain’s leading micro-mobility operator, Zwings, has partnered with South Somerset District Council to launch a fleet of pay as you go e-scooters in Yeovil on 22 October 2020 for 12 months.

This scheme will be run under the official e-scooter trials initiative, authorised by the Department for Transport (DfT). Private use e-scooters remain illegal on UK roads, however these trials are allowing the DfT to review how authorised rental e-scooters are used in a controlled and monitored environment. Read more here

At the launch yesterday at Goldenstones Leisure Centre Yeovil were..

Pictured left to right - Joe Lewin CEO of ZWINGS, Richard McKeirnan Traffic Control Avon and Somerset Police, Yeovil Mayor Cllr David Ricardo, SSDC Portfolio Holder for Environment Cllr Sarah Dyke, Cllr Adam Dance and SSDC Case Officer Environment Cara Naden.

ENGIE carried out energy audits and carbon assessments and developed a carbon reduction waterfall to identity priority areas where the greatest reductions can be achieved. This will map out a path to enable SSDC to achieve optimum carbon savings in the most efficient and cost-effective ways. Read more here

Gather seeds, fruits, and nuts that can be nurtured to grow the trees of the future. When you're next out on your walk, collect any tree nuts and seeds you see which haven’t already been nibbled by the local wildlife! Take what you need and leave the rest for them. Check out The Tree Council's advice and tips on growing viable seeds

Our colleague Martin recently visited Ham Hill to meet Paul the ranger and learn about planting seeds.

Click on the image to watch Paul making planters, as well as what to plant and how to!

Community Heritage Officer Becky Russell said “It’s great to get children out in the fresh air, it improves their physical and mental wellbeing and they have a great time. A child told me only last week ‘forest school is like playtime all morning’, but in that time, the children and teachers learnt to identify trees by their leaves, nuts and berries, and make their own paint from berries they’d gathered, followed by creating some lovely pictures with their berry paint, learning through play”

To talk to the Countryside team about sessions at the Country Parks email countryside@southsomerset.gov.uk

Fern Animal Sanctuary applied for an SSDC community grant of £950 towards a £2,950 project to reintroduce water voles to the sanctuary.

Curry Wood Community Trust Land Purchase

SSDC awarded £12,500 to Curry Woods Conservation Trust, towards the £61,000 purchase of approximately 4 hectares of land from Somerset County Council. The land is made up of mature ancient woodland and arable land in the Parish of Curry Rivel.

Barrington Football club applied for £800 of a £9,500 project to install solar panels at their ground. This project was completed in August and the remainder of the costs were funded by the Parish Council and the Football Club’s own funds.

You can read their full stories and find out more about how the Community Grant Scheme can benefit your local projects here

The Great Parish Tree Giveaway is now open for applications. All Parish Environment Champions were contacted earlier this week inviting them to apply so do check your inbox if you haven't seen it. Applications will be on a first come first served basis so do submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We recently emailed all our Parish environment Champions about the Government £1 billion of grant funding towards capital energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects within public sector non-domestic buildings.

The scheme allows public sector bodies to apply for a grant to finance up to 100% of the costs of capital energy-saving projects that meet the scheme criteria.

They will be accepting applications on a rolling basis with the final deadline for applications being Monday 11 January.

This is a great opportunity for parish/town councils to push forward on decarbonising their estate and an opportunity to create a plan using experts within the industry. Read more here

We have been made aware of scam websites representing the Green Home Vouchers scheme. Please don't engage with them and make sure you always communicate through the official government website and make sure suppliers are Trustmark and HIES accredited.

Somerset’s Climate Emergency Strategy has now been published which you can view here together with the ‘have your say’ feedback report.

This strategy does not replace our own SSDC Environment Strategy and we’ll continue to deliver what we set out in our own plans last October and the other Somerset local authorities will continue with theirs.

We will work in parallel with the Somerset Climate Emergency Strategy and all five councils will work together to deliver county-wide solutions to reach our shared goal to be carbon neutral by 2030.

Join communities around the country planting trees during The Tree Council’s National Tree Week 28 November – 6 December.

Around the country, volunteer Tree Wardens and other community tree groups will be holding tree planting events to celebrate National Tree Week: The UK’s largest annual tree celebration! Check here to use the calendar map tab to find out what is happening in your local area or to add your own tree event.

This month they're telling us about their Safe & Warm Somerset project which offers free, practical advice to homeowners, tenants and landlords, to help make homes warmer and cheaper to heat and to reduce the risk of ill health and hospital admissions.

Submit the form on CSE’s website: www.cse.org.uk/contact-us 

Email: home.energy@cse.org.uk

Refer someone for support using the online form: www.cse.org.uk/referral

For more information about the Centre for Sustainable Energy and its work visit https://www.cse.org.uk/

Local environmental group Reimagining the Levels, in partnership with Somerset Rivers Authority, Farmers and Wildlife Advisory Group SouthWest, and the Woodland Trust, have funding, expertise and materials available for small plantings of trees and hedges that will aid water management.

Landowners and Parish Councils with small areas of land that would not ordinarily attract funding can apply.

Reimagining the Levels, in partnership with Somerset Rivers Authority, the Woodland Trust and Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group SouthWest (FWAG SW), are preparing for a busy tree-planting season and would like to recruit volunteers to help out. Our aim is to plant trees and hedgerows on small(ish) pockets of land that will ‘slow the flow’ of water and contribute to water and flood management. We are also working with community groups planting woodlands and orchards. Find out more about how to get involved here

You can find out how to watch the move and view the trailer here

Ecosia use the profit they make from your web searches to plant trees where they are needed most. Get the free browser extension and plant trees with every search. Make the switch today and start building your tree credits! Find out how here

If you're enjoying Get SuSSed and would like to share it, here's a link to the PDF version on our website.

They can also subscribe to receive it directly by request at ssdcenvironment@southsomerset.gov.uk