City training will help build a new green business sector
Swansea business people are being given expert advice on how they can help others make the city greener.
They're taking part in a series of training sessions that will help them boost Swansea Council's ongoing work to improve greenery and biodiversity.
Already, dozens have attended sessions on working with trees as a business and on innovations such as green roofs and green walls.
Future sessions will focus on sustainable drainage systems, rain planters and nature-friendly grounds maintenance.
They're free to attend and are open to all city enterprises that want to guide others on using nature-based solutions to grow business - in the process creating a new local business sector.
Those attending the sessions so far include landscape gardeners, urban designers and maintenance organisations.
Council cabinet member David Hopkins said: "Swansea is a green city and it's getting greener thanks to the efforts of businesses and other organisations.
"Our green infrastructure strategy encourages improved and increased use of green spaces, vegetation, soil and water that help make our city a better place in which to live.
"Business innovations such as green roofs, green walls and nature-friendly grounds maintenance will make Swansea better adapted to climate change and better for people and wildlife.
"I thank all the business that have attended our training so far - and urge others to attend future sessions."
The training has been developed by the council, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Swansea-based regeneration agency Urban Foundry.
It's being delivered by experts such as Gary Grant, of the Green Infrastructure Consultancy, Chris Bridgman, of living roof specialists Bridgman and Bridgman and Jon Price, of arboricultural consultancy Treeworks.
It's funded by the UK Government's Community Renewal Fund (CRF).
Forthcoming Swansea city centre training for business includes:
- Nov 23: Planning, designing and installing rain planters. Trainer: Wendy Allen.
- Dec 7: Grounds maintenance for nature and people. Trainer: John Little, of The Green Shelter Company.
Urban Foundry director Dr Ben Reynolds said: "The workshops are proving to be really popular. They'll help create a local supply chain to deliver and maintain Swansea's green infrastructure.
"The aim is to give local suppliers new skills that will help as the city looks for more nature-based solutions in urban regeneration."
NRW senior green infrastructure officer Fran Rolfe said: "We hope that everyone who attends the workshops leave with a good foundation to continue building a business sector around delivering exceptional urban greening for people and nature."
More info and bookings: www.bit.ly/GreenTraining22