In May 2023 the Partnership facilitated community growers in Bristol and the wider West of England region to come together to explore ways we can connect and grow with nature and make growing accessible for people through the Human (&) Nature: Growing Together Project.

Ecological emergencies have been declared across the West of England region, highlighting the urgent need for action to support pollinators and wider nature regeneration. There is a wealth of knowledge amongst community growers in the region about how to inspire people to connect with nature and make growing more accessible.

Community growers Amrish Pandya and Priya Sheth from Bristol Rainforest, Elsie Harp from Divina Botanica, Eric Swithinbank from Avon Wildlife Trust, Helen Johnson from Filton Community Garden, and Sara Venn from Incredible Edible Bristol collaborated to share their experiences, knowledge, and insights creatively in the form of a zine which you can download and share.

Dig into the zine to find tips and inspiration for human and nature friendly growing including:

• Getting started with growing without a garden
• Alternatives to pesticides
• How to access gardening tools freely or cheaply
• How to help birds and beetles
• Local growing projects you can get involved in

The Human (&) Nature: Growing Together Project was funded by the West of England Combined Authority’s Community Pollinator Fund, as part of the Natural History Consortium’s People for Pollinators project.