1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Newcastle
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Wild West End Project of Greening Wingrove
Short description of the intervention
Formed by residents and local organisations, the original focus of Greening Wingrove & Arthur's Hill was to address issues of litter and flytipping in Wingrove. The informal association later became a Cooperative (Community Interest Company) (1,2). Since its formation, the organisation aims to clean and green its part of Newcastle's West End through a diverse set of activities (15). These include the development of a former bowling green to become a community bike garden and community hub; encouraging locals' action on litter, promoting greening and food growing and local stewardship (4)

The Wild West End project encompasses the goals and visions of Greening Wingrove & Arthur's Hill. The project is aiming to explore local natural heritage, with a focus on species currently at risk such as bats, birds (swifts and house martins) and hedgehogs with the inclusion of residents, schools and local communities. Besides mapping the status of these species, habitat creation is also an objective to prevent the further decline of these at risk species in the area (15, 16)
Address

A167
Newcastle upon Tyne NE4, UK
Newcastle
United Kingdom

Location
The NBS is a city-wide initiative, the GIS point marks the centre of the city
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature
Website of the intervention
https://greeningwingrove.org.uk/wild-west-end/
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
2019
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
2019
End date of the intervention
ongoing
Present stage of the intervention
Ongoing
Please specify "other" stage of the intervention
Greening Wingrove began in 2010 (residents who initially developed the Greening Wingrove idea) and the Greening Wingrove Community Interest Company was formed in 2011. (Ref. 1, 2, 3)

Greening Wingrove is a movement which is delivered primarily by two organisations. The Community Cooperative – Greening Wingrove Community Interest Company (the original residents group, which initially developed the Greening Wingrove idea, decided to take on a more formal structure so that it could open more doors to opportunities in the future) and The BIG Lottery Funded project – W.E.A. Greening Wingrove Project (The BIG Lottery Funded arm of Greening Wingrove is part of a Communities Living Sustainably programme, led by the Workers’ Educational Association, as lead partner; the project was established in 2013 to last over 4.5 years). (Ref. 1)
Goals of the intervention
Goals of Greening Wingrove and Arthur's Hill:
1. To clean and green its part of Newcastle's West End (15)
2. To turning the area into a sustainable inner-city garden suburb (1)

Wild West End project objectives:
1. Explore the local natural heritage of the area (15)
2. Identify and monitor the 'at-risk species' of swifts, house martins, bats and hedgehogs living in the inner West End of Newcastle upon Tyne (17)
3. Fill the gap in local's knowledge about the extent to which the species are present (17)
3. Based on monitoring data, strengthen habitat for these species (16, 17)
4. Raise awareness of these species among residents through their active involvement in the observation and habitat development process (16)
Quantitative targets
Unknown
Monitoring indicators defined
- Number of hedgehogs, swifts, house martins and bats living in Wingrove and Arthur’s Hill (16)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Habitat and biodiversity conservation
Green space creation and/or management
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Environmental education
Social interaction
Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
Preservation of natural heritage
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What types of conservation goals are / were defined for the NBS intervention?
Species-focused
Ecosystem-focused
Habitats and biodiversity conservation: What activities are implemented to realize the conservation goals and targets?
Protect and enhance urban habitats
Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
Create new habitats
Protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect species
Undertake specific measures to protect native species
Undertake specific measures to protect endangered species
Means for conservation governance
Raise public awareness
Public engagement
Create and use scientific knowledge for conservation
Implementation activities
- Data collection on swift, house martin and bats through surveys (18)
- Events and workshops organised to raise awareness and create new habitats for the involved species in collaboration with local communities (19)
- Monitoring walks open for the public (17)
Type of NBS project
Maintenance and management of urban nature
Transformation of previously derelict areas
Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
House gardens
Green playgrounds and school grounds
Parks and urban forests
Large urban parks or forests
Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Community gardens and allotments
Allotments
Community gardens
Please specify the number of plots or allotment gardens
Unknown
Vegetation Type
Grass
Shrubs
Trees
Please specify how many trees were planted
Unknown
Amenities offered by the NBS
Unknown
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Maintenance of genetic diversity
Cultural services
Intellectual interactions (scientific and / or educational)
Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Local government/Municipality
Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)
Non-government organisation/Civil Society
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Non-governmental organisation (NGO) / Civil society / Churches
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The Wild West End project was initiated by the Greening Wingrove and Arthur's Hill, an environmental residents' association and is financially supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (15). In the observing and habitat building process, various civil societies and institutions along with volunteers take part (15,16)
Key actors - initiating organization
Non-government organisation/civil society
Please specify other key actors – Initiating organization
The Community Cooperative – Greening Wingrove Community Interest Company
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Public sector institution
Non-government organisation/civil society
Researchers/university
Citizens or community group
Land owners
Public space owned by the city
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Dissemination of information and education
Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)
Citizen monitoring and review
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
No
Please specify the national regulations/strategy/plan
See below.
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
No
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
Formed by "residents and local organisations", Greening Wingrove's original focus was address issues of litter and flytipping in Wingrove. (Ref. 3)
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
Newcastle's 'Citywide Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2010-2020' (as the overall aim of Greening Wingrove is to tackle the problems of climate change and urban grime through a ‘green lens’). (2, 6)

Newcastle and North Tyneside Biodiversity Action Plan that has specific species action plan for all species involved in the project (20)

Also the ‘Newcast1e upon Tyne Town Moor Act 1988’ (through the Friends of Nuns Moor Park, with the Nuns Moor being a part of Town Moor) and the ‘Newcastle allotment strategy 2010-2015’. (Ref. 7, 8, 9)
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
City specific climate change policy or plan
Biodiversity strategy or plan
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
No
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
The aim of the project is to gather monitoring data on local 'at risk' species, however, there is no publicly available information whether this data will be used for further research.
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
No
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
€50,000 - €100,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
The project received £50 200 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (21)
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
The project received £50 200 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (21). There is no information on the total cost and other funds regarding the project.
Source(s) of funding
Private Foundation/Trust
Please specify other source of funding
E.g. Ward budget, and the Vertical Veg Street funded by European GAIA project (Ref. 2, 11)
And the Big Lottery Fund (the BIG Lottery’s Communities Living Sustainably Fund) (Ref. 1, 12)
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Yes
Type of non-financial contribution
Provision of goods
Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Business models
Local stewardship model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private non-for-profit actor (e.g. NGO, foundation)
Type of innovation
System innovation
Please specify system innovation
The community cooperative came into existence when the original residents group, which initially developed the Greening Wingrove idea, decided to take on a more formal structure so that it could open more doors to opportunities in the future. Greening Wingrove CIC acts, campaigns and supports others to create a greener and cleaner place. The values of Greening Wingrove CIC include Democratic, fun, solidarity, aspirational and purposeful, and include strategic aims such as resilience in the face of climate change, develop the local economy and employment opportunities etc.
(Ref. 13)
Novelty level of the innovation
Ambiguous (e.g. multiple interpretations)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Greening Wingrove began in 2010 with residents who initially developed the Greening Wingrove idea. (Ref. 2)
Replicability/Transferability
The innovation is transferred to new initiative(s) without substantial adaptation
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
The Bike Garden and the Friends of Nuns Moor Park, both inspired by Greening Wingrove and its partners, are learning how to work effectively with the City Council and local residents, opening up ways for people to get involved with managing the space to an extent and to offer invaluable community space for projects and enterprises to flourish. (Ref. 7)
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Green space and habitat
Increased number of species present
Increased protection of threatened species
Description of environmental benefits
As of October 2020, the project is still in progress, monitoring is taking place, therefore, there is a lack of information on the environmental impacts and benefits of the initiative.
- Creation and improvement of habitat for the species in focus (hedgehogs, swifts, house martins, bats) at schoolyards is an expected impact of the project (19).
Economic impacts
Unknown
Description of economic benefits
Unknown
Social and cultural impacts
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Protection of natural heritage
Education
Increased support for education and scientific research
Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Description of social and cultural benefits
As of October 2020, the project is still in progress, monitoring is taking place, therefore, there is a lack of information on the social impacts and benefits of the initiative. As expected impacts:
- Hedgehogs, swifts, house martins and bats are part of the natural heritage and landscape of Newcastle, thus with their protection, the area's overall natural values are also protected (16)
- Monitoring guide and workshops are offered and openly available to the public, thus anybody who is interested and would like to learn more about the local biodiversity and contribute to the efforts of the project is empowered to do so (17)
- With educational workshops and webinars, residents have a chance to better understand the importance of the project (16, 17)
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts
Indicators
Unknown
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Environmental quality
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
Voluntary work opportunities
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
Special social distancing rules had to be applied during the regular monitoring walks which were open to the public. Webinars and workshops connected to the projects had to be held online to fit local restrictions (16, 17)
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
Collection of monitoring data continuously throughout the project to aid evaluation
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Observation (including virtual surveillance methods)
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Submission of monitoring data (citizen observation)
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
“Any eligible resident over the age of 16 years who lives in the Greening Wingrove area can become a member of the CIC” (as mentioned before, CIC members own the CIC and control its future, attend members' meetings, elect members to steer the co-op, look after its finances, be consulted about CIC campaigns and direction). (Ref. 5)
The CIC gives the residents “the 'tools' to feel confident about making a difference, and gives the community a voice”. (Ref. 1)
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Please specify
The Transtheoretical model, mentioned in previous section. (Ref. 14)
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
Please specify
Where projects have either implicitly or explicitly aligned themselves with specific models (e.g. The Transtheoretical model) of behaviour change, this provides the programme with the opportunity to follow their progress and test the veracity of these behaviour change models in light of the project outcomes. (Ref. 14)
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref. 1
Ref. 2
Ref. 3
Ref. 4
Ref. 5
Ref. 6
Ref. 7
Ref. 8
Ref. 9
Ref. 10
Ref. 11
Ref. 12
Ref. 13
Ref. 14
List of references
1. Greening Wingrove. (n.d.). About us. Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://greeningwingrove.org.uk/about-us/
2. Brighter Futures Together. (n.d.). Greening Wingrove. Projects. Website not available
3. Co-operative college. (2017). Greening Wingrove: Co-operation transforming a community. Website not available
4. Greening Wingrove. (n.d.). Previous Work. Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://greeningwingrove.org.uk/about-us/previous-work/
5. Greening Wingrove. (n.d.). Join the Community Co-op. Get involved. Accessed on October 28, 2020, http://greeningwingrove.org.uk/get-involved/join-the-community-co-op/
6. Newcastle City Council. (2010). Citywide Climate Change Strategy & Action Plan 2010-2020. Website not available
7. Greening Wingrove. (n.d.). Nuns Moor Park. Accessed on October 28, 2020, http://greeningwingrove.org.uk/nuns-moor-park/
8. Newcastle City Council. (1988). Newcastle upon Tyne Town Moor Act 1988, Website not available
9. Newcastle City Council. (2010). The Newcastle Allotment Strategy. Our Land. Allotment Working group, Website not available
10. Newcastle City Council. (2004). Newcastle's Green Space Strategy. Website not available
11. GAIA project. (2015). WEA Greening Wingrove project: growing - case study. Greening Wingrove Project. Final report. Website not available
12. Chronicle Live. (2013). Newcastle's Greening Wingrove project seeks new staff. Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/local-news/newcastles-greening-wingrove-project-seeks-1350615
13. Greening Wingrove. (n.d.). Community Co-op. Accessed on October 28, 2020, http://greeningwingrove.org.uk/community-co-op/
14. Groundwork UK. (2015). Learning Report: Capturing Behaviour Change. Communities Living Sustainability. Groundwork UK Learning Partnership, Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/
15. Newcastle City Council. (2019). Wild West End Wildlife. Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/citylife-news/wild-west-end-wildlife
16. Greening Wingrove and Arthur's Hill. (n/a). Wild West End Intro. Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://greeningwingrove.org.uk/wild-west-end/
17. Wild West End Newcastle Facebook page. (n/a). Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://www.facebook.com/Wild-West-End-Newcastle-471335296963629/
18. Greening Wingrove and Arthur's Hill (n/a). Swift/Housemartin Survey 2020, Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://greeningwingrove.org.uk/swift-housemartin-survey-2020/
19. Newcastle University Student Union. (2019). Wild West End. Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://www.nusu.co.uk/events/6520/7994/
20. National Lottery Heritage Fund. (2019). Wild West End. Accessed on October 28, 2020, https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/our-work/wild-west-end
Comments and notes
Public Images
Wild West End
Source: https://www.facebook.com/471335296963629/photos/a.471335373630288/471335750296917/?type=3&theater