Part of Glasgow City Region Place, the GCR Green Network is one of the Region’s key delivery programmes and will play a critical role in the City Region’s response to the climate and ecological crises.
The Green Network includes five key initiatives which aim to create a sustainable and liveable place where people and wildlife can move easily through and attractive and diverse landscape: Clyde Peatlands, Clyde Grasslands, Clyde Climate Forest, Clyde Wetland and Clyde Greenways.
More information can be found on the GCR Green Network website.
The GCR Green Network is framed around a Blueprint which focuses on two fundamental functions:
- Strategic Access Network: facilitating the off-road movement of people around and between communities.
- Strategic Habitat Network: facilitating the movement of wildlife through the landscape.
The Blueprint outlines how to target resources and effort effectively to create and enhance the right Green Network component in the right place, for the most benefit.
The Initiatives
Peatland restoration is a nature-based solution to the climate and ecological crisis. Around a seventh of the Region is covered in peat, however, up to 80% of that is degraded and emitting carbon – representing a huge opportunity for peatland restoration to support net zero targets and reverse ecological decline.
Clyde Peatlands is focused on peatland restoration, and is funded and supported by NatureScot through the Peatland ACTION Fund.
Clyde Grasslands aims to protect, manage and expand species-rich grassland habitats for wildlife, while locking up carbon.
With around 97% of grassland ad meadows lost in the UK since the 1940s, Clyde Grasslands has a critical role to play in recreating these lost habitats, supporting the many threatened species that live in them.
The initiative has developed grassland Nature Networks as a framework for targeted delivery across the Region to address pollinator decline, while reinstating a rich and vibrant habitat and creating places for people to experience nature.
Despite their critical role in rural and urban landscapes, the UK has one of Europe’s lowest proportions of tree cover.
Clyde Climate Forest aims to address this by planting up to 18 million trees to; soak up increased rainfall, create cooling effects in heatwaves, lock up carbon, support Net Zero targets, expand nature networks, and provide a place for people to experience nature.
Clyde Wetlands seeks to create, restore and protect wetland habitat across the Region. Across the UK, 90% of wetland habitats have been lost in the last 100 years. Clyde Wetlands seeks to reverse this decline in a targeted way, building nature networks that allow wildlife to move more easily between habitat patches.
Wetland creation also provides benefits to people – from recreational opportunities to water purification and flood reduction. Wetlands are also a highly effective carbon sink and so have an important role in reaching net zero.
Road transport accounts for around 40% of Regional carbon emissions while sections of our population face physical health and mental well-being challenges.
Changing the way in which we travel, particularly for shorter trips, should play a major role in the drive for Net Zero, while encouraging healthier lifestyles. Walking, cycling and wheeling need to be seen as an attractive and practical option.
Clyde Greenways will support and influence new Active Travel Strategies, and their delivery, as well as seeking to ensure that major Regional initiatives such as Clyde Mission and Clyde Metro embed Greenways as a key delivery objective.