If you are interested in helping us to create our green and healthy city, or simply want to enjoy the city’s parks and open spaces, here’s how you can get involved
Spend more time in nature
Take a walk on your own or with friends and family, or join one of our wellbeing walks
Enjoy our parks and natural green spaces
Help nature by:
- volunteering at one of our Wildlife and conservation sites
- joining us on a community planting day
- considering what you can do in your garden or balcony that benefits your health and wellbeing, nature and climate
Gardening for you, nature and climate
Hedges – Plant hedges to create cooler and calmer spaces, reduce traffic pollution, absorb noise, and support wildlife. To learn more about their environmental benefits, you can read Hedges to meet urban challenges or visit the RHS Gardening website.
Trees – the Woodland Trust lists 6 small garden trees to fight climate change. They also bring shade to our gardens in the summer and are also good for wildlife.
No Mow May – reduce lawn mowing in May to allow wild plants to flower, providing pollen and nectar for insects. Join Plantlife’s No Mow May Movement.
Reduce paving (depave) – remove hard surfaces to help cool spaces and allows rainwater to soak into the soil. This prevents localised flooding. Depaving your front gardens can help cities adapt to climate change.
Avoid using pesticides – Portsmouth City Council has reduced the use of pesticides for wildlife and aims to phase out the use of pesticides. The Health and Safety Executive provides guidelines on safe pesticide use. You can read about Pesticides for Home Gardeners or visit the RHS Gardening website.
Balcony gardening – Find out how Jason Williams (the cloud gardener) discovered gardening from a balcony and see how you can transform your balcony spaces.
More about gardening, health and wellbeing
Thrive has a great selection of resources and inspiring stories about gardening and health and wellbeing.
Take action for the climate
Taking climate action in Portsmouth
Sign up to our climate action newsletter for all opportunities and updates