Forest of Dean Fast Followers (F3)

FoDDC leads a collaborative project with West Oxfordshire and Cotswold District Councils. Forest Fast Followers (F3) aims to resolve non-technical barriers within councils and districts through:

* training staff and Councillors in better practice for NetZero;
* improved understanding of increased community action for districts;
* using live projects across the district to identify and evaluate improvements.

F3 focuses on the Forest of Dean district as an exemplar of rural areas and particular problems such areas face to achieve NetZero. Inputs provided through the NetZero Innovation & Delivery Officer and the outputs of the work, will guide the Council's approach and support the delivery of its climate strategy and action plans. These cover the Council and the District it serves. It adds value through internal capacity building and by developing the external mechanisms and partnerships needed to make real progress.

This will be achieved by enhancing capability of staff in key functions and service areas, to enable them to prioritise and deliver NetZero through a range of tailored training/knowledge management that goes beyond basic carbon literacy. Prototyped with staff allocated to FoDDC, it's cascaded to other councils. Training will be flexible and responsive to need using action-learning with key officers to lead real changes in processes by working on current issues. This expands group knowledge and action. Councillors will be trained to enable more joined-up action on the Climate Emergency.

In parallel with the training, F3 iteratively addresses key non-technical, place-based barriers to NetZero development, renewable energy generation and local smart energy grids. Finding solutions that alleviate these barriers will increase energy security in rural areas and reduce the need for grid reinforcement in nationally significant landscapes. By focusing on the energy networks potential in one area, as an exemplar, the project will demonstrate how rural areas can contribute to the national, as well as local solutions, including via use of innovative financial mechanisms.

Community engagement is vital. Communities are at the heart of rural life. Some are geographic such as towns, villages and hamlets; others are where people gather for leisure/sport/work and in order to do business. Engaging, enabling and facilitating residents and businesses to overcome 'system barriers' is key to meeting the District NetZero target. F3 will identify key constraints, and trial tailored approaches, to overcoming these in the various communities. All of these will require consistent cross-area engagement to mobilise investment and move behaviours beyond early adopters/activists to mainstream majority.