Residents in Falmouth are celebrating the completion of work to transform a green space into a wildlife-rich habitat.

The improvements at Prislow Fields include a wildflower meadow, the planting of 20 trees and a new path.

They have been funded by local developments through Section 106 agreements and carried out by a partnership of Cornwall Council, Cormac and Falmouth Town Council in consultation with the local community.

Falmouth mayor Steve Eva thanked the team who brought the project to fruition.

He said: “We have heard a lot recently about climate change and decline of wildlife. Sometimes we are left feeling helpless about the scale of the problem and what we can do to change things for the better.

“But if there is one thing we can do, it is to start to make a change in our own back gardens and community spaces. Lots of small changes all add up to big changes. Here at Prislow Fields a start has been made.”

At a recent celebratory event, families built a bug hotel in the Cornwall Council-owned space and made wildflower seed bombs to further improve the wildlife habitat.

It was attended by Cllr Steve Eva, deputy mayor Trish Minson, Falmouth councillor Tony Parker, Cornwall Council landscape architect Belinda Edwards, members of Cormac and community volunteers.

Howard Burns from Cormac and Jacqui Owen, community engagement officer for Falmouth Town Council in partnership with Cormac, guided the volunteers’ work.

Local bee expert Kevin Thomas also attended and observed several varieties of bee in the flower meadow including one species not yet formally recorded in the area.

Cornwall’s Cabinet Member for the environment and public protection Rob Nolan said: “The creation of this stunning new wildflower area will help reverse the decline in insect populations and increase the numbers of birds and other wildlife. Together with the new path it will make it easier for everyone to come out and enjoy using this transformed space.

“Prislow Fields is one example of how we are transforming green spaces across Cornwall to make them more wildlife rich and accessible for residents to get out and enjoy nature.”

Cornwall Council is in the final stages of its Green Infrastructure for Growth - Making Space for Nature programme which has transformed 40 hectares of green spaces to bring nature-rich habitats to urban areas.

Nick James, head of contracts at Cormac, said: "We are proud that Cormac is the principle contractor for the Green Infrastructure for Growth (GI4G) project, which leads the way in improving open urban spaces.

"The project has so far improved the conservation status of at least 40 hectares of habitat in urban areas across Cornwall.

And working on the Prislow Fields project in Falmouth has been received as a resounding success and a great example of collaboration between the local community, Cormac, Cornwall Council and the town council."

The next Making Space for Nature events are a bioblitz at St Mary’s Churchyard, Penzance, on Saturday, and a historic day at Millpond Gardens, Hayle, on Thursday, July 18.

Making Space for Nature is a practical example of Cornwall Council’s Pollinator Action Plan which was launched earlier this year.

It aims to make the council’s assets and operations more pollinator friendly by increasing awareness of pollinators and their needs, identify and support local ideas for pollinator opportunities, help ensure pollinator habitats and species recover and provide beneficial services to farming and tourism and residents across Cornwall.