Northern Roots is being brought to life as a catalyst for economic and environmental regeneration, creativity, entrepreneurship, health and wellbeing, and communal pride.
We are building an innovative new model for harnessing green space, a model that is being developed for and with local communities to deliver sustainable benefits for people, planet and place.
People: Enhancing health and wellbeing by producing healthy food, supporting physical activity, and promoting connection with nature and community.
Planet: Managing and improving the landscape to build biodiversity, capture carbon, enhance water quality and increase ecosystem service value.
Place: Generating training, education, jobs and business opportunities, attracting new visitors and investment to Oldham, and enhancing civic pride.
We aim to achieve the following targets by 2030:
PEOPLE
- 300 Natural Health Service prescriptions per year.
- 4,500 school visits per year.
- 150 volunteering placements and 25 work experience placements per year.
- 15 trainee or apprentice positions per year.
PLANET
- 25% biodiversity net gain, through grassland enrichment, woodland management, tree and hedge planting, and wetland creation.
- 30,000 tonnes of carbon stored in woodland and soils by 2050.
- 400 KWP of green energy generated.
- Water quality improved and run off reduced.
- Earthworm populations increased by 87 million.
PLACE
- 100,000 visitors to Northern Roots per year by 2028, 300,000 by 2030.
- Supporting up to 40 new businesses.
- 60-80 new jobs created.