Growing Our Nature Squared Initiative Tenfold By 2030!
Growing Our Nature Squared Initiative Tenfold By 2030!
We are excited to be announcing today (26 March 2026) an ambitious plan to expand our Nature Squared initiative tenfold — increasing the area devoted to pollinator-friendly planting from 500m² to 5,000m² by 2030.
Nature Squared is a simple nature recovery campaign that invites residents and organisations across Henley and the surrounding area to plant one square metre of plants for pollinators. The aim is to create a growing network of pollinator habitats that supports bees, butterflies and other insects, strengthens local biodiversity, and creates more space for nature in and around the town. This will form a local nature corridor through Henley and beyond.
We have a brand new Nature Squared webpage including an interactive map, showing postcodes and number of square metres planted at them. Participants are encouraged to register their square metre of pollinator-friendly planting via our Nature Squared page, allowing each contribution to be added to the map. As more people take part, the map will show the growing network of green corridors emerging across the community. We’re also providing a new list of suggested pollinator-friendly plants, plus ‘Top Tips’ from our Nature Squared expert – BBOWT’s Lousia Reeve, with further resources in the pipeline.
“Nature recovery begins on our doorsteps,” says Julia Samyui-Adams, Nature Squared Lead at Greener Henley. “By planting just one square metre for pollinators, each of us can help create a living network of habitats across Henley. We’re encouraging everyone in the community to take part — whether that’s planting in a garden, on a balcony, or in a window box or outdoor pots at home, school or work. We’re also looking to join up people, organisations, businesses and schools, with spaces and opportunities for planting, finding ways for everyone to be involved in Nature Squared, whether they have an outdoor space or not. When we all plant a little, nature grows a lot!”
Britain is one of the least “nature connected” nations in the world, according to one of the first ever global studies of how people relate to the natural world, published in the journal Ambio.
The Nature Squared initiative is a way to bring together all sectors of the community in Henley and its surrounding area to take practical, local action for nature recovery. In doing this it also aims to help people connect more – with nature, with places and with each other.
Everyone can play a part
From 2026, Nature Squared brings in a variety of volunteer roles, such as Plant Parents and Plant Fosterers, who are sowing seeds and nurturing plants for distribution within the wider Henley community.
“Growing from seed isn’t always easy for everyone, so this year we’re doing it together — we are raising plants for people who need them,” says Diana Barnett, Outreach Lead at Greener Henley. “Together, we’ll grow the species that have the greatest impact for native pollinators and insects. Although we often think of pollinators as just bees, they are in fact joined by birds, bats, butterflies, beetles, and small mammals in pollinating plants. They are all jointly responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. We need nature — and nature needs us!”
Nature Squared is a joint initiative between Greener Henley, Henley Town Council, and the Henley Standard.
“This initiative taps into people’s enthusiasm for greening their community, and Greener Henley has already logged more than 200m² of pollinator-friendly planting,” says Katrina Judge, Biodiversity Officer at Henley Town Council. “Nature in the UK is in steep decline and we need to give it more space and attention. Pollinators sustain our ecosystems and food supply by helping plants reproduce. By planting even a small space for them, we can all help nature recover — so let’s get growing.”
We are offering free seed packets to anyone who would like to take part. Seeds can be collected from the Town Hall, and a list of recommended pollinator-friendly plants is also available here to help everyone get started. We’ll also soon have young plants available to help residents establish their first square metre of pollinator habitat. If you’re interested in having young plants for your square metre, email us at NatureSquaredHenley@gmail.com.
Greener Henley is able to deliver this campaign thanks to the generous support of the Louis Baylis Charitable Trust, Henley Town Council, and the South Oxfordshire District Council.
