Projects in North East & Scottish Borders, Cumbria and South Yorkshire will receive funding to support critically endangered species & habitats.
Three vital nature recovery projects aimed at tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis will receive a funding boost of over £11 million, led by Natural England.
The projects – spanning North East & Scottish Borders, Cumbria and South Yorkshire – will focus on internationally important species and habitats of Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) and will be radically rejuvenated over the next five years by partnerships led by Natural England and funded by EU LIFE.
The work will address issues of national and international importance to achieve nature recovery and combat climate change. This includes restoring rivers, coastal and moorland habitats, improving river water quality, and saving critically endangered species such as freshwater pearl mussel, as well as providing more opportunities for people to enjoy high-quality nature.
Natural England Chair, Tony Juniper said: “These innovative partnership projects present highly tangible examples of the efforts being made to protect and restore critically endangered species and habitats. From the conservation of freshwater pearl mussels in Cumbria to storing carbon in lowland raised bog in South Yorkshire, these new Nature recovery projects are among a series of initiatives through which Natural England is taking the lead in tackling the biodiversity crisis and climate change challenge. I’m hopeful that these Nature recovery projects will inspire more action across the country, enabling more people to enjoy wildlife-rich natural landscapes into the future”
Environment Agency Chair Emma Howard Boyd said: “Preparing for climate impacts and reversing the decline in nature takes partnership. These projects are strong examples of how nature-based solutions can help reduce pollution, support biodiversity and reduce flooding. By working together with communities, businesses and NGOs, Natural England and the Environment Agency are showing what works on the ground so that we can scale up ambition and investment in the next crucial decade.”
In North East England and the Scottish Borders, the LIFE Water and Disturbance Environmental Restoration (WADER) will receive a share of £5.8 million to improve the ecological condition of more than 49,000 hectares of habitat and water quality within the river Tweed catchment, Tweed estuary and the Northumberland Coast.
Delivering “on-the-ground” COP26 conservation pledges, the project will support internationally important over-wintering birds, such as the purple sandpiper and turnstone, as well as Artic tern breeding colonies, and help control invasive species and enhance visitor management.
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Posted On: 26/01/2022