Three new Natural England LIFE projects launched with over £11 million of funding
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Nature recovery projects to receive more than £11million over the
next five years. Projects in North East & Scottish Borders,
Cumbria and South Yorkshire will receive funding to support
critically endangered species & habitats. Builds on the success
of other LIFE funded projects that started in previous years. Three
vital nature recovery projects aimed at tackling the climate and
biodiversity crisis will receive a funding boost of over £11
million, led...Request free trial
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.
In Cumbria, the LIFE R4ever Kent project aims to increase the critically endangered freshwater pearl mussel population along parts of the River Kent. Freshwater pearl mussels can filter up to 50 litres of water a day. Through their filtration, they can improve water quality for other species such as fish, eels, otters and more. LIFE Moor Space will restore and improve 400 hectares of degraded raised bogs and will also trial innovative payment schemes for carbon storage. The Thorne Moor Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in South Yorkshire is the largest area of lowland raised bog in England as well as being one of Western Europe’s rarest and most threatened habitats, and part of the last remnants of a large wetland that occupied the Humberhead Levels floodplain thousands of years ago.
Dr Aileen Mill, Director of Expertise for Ecosystems at Newcastle University said: “Researchers within the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences are excited by the opportunity this funding offers to strengthen our existing partnerships across the North East. “The WADER project is a great demonstration of the interdisciplinary expertise we have in the school as the project brings together ecologists, social scientists and modellers. Working alongside practitioners, we will be investigating and evidencing the impact of the planned project work. Participation in WADER will allow students and researchers to have direct input to restoration of ecosystems from farm to coast.” Dr Louise Lavictoire, Freshwater Biological Association’s Freshwater Pearl Mussel Reintroductions Research Officer said:
“The FBA is delighted to be working with partners to restore and revitalise the River Kent SAC. There are very small remnant populations of the critically endangered freshwater pearl mussel surviving in the River Kent and its tributaries. None are large enough to sustain a population into the future. Captive breeding and population expansion are needed urgently to save these freshwater pearl mussels from local extinction.
“The Kent population has suffered a significant decline in recent years due to pollution, degraded habitat conditions, no natural survival of new juvenile pearl mussels and low genetic diversity. This project will reverse this trend and create a self-sustaining population.”
Paul Learoyd, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Chief Executive, said:
“We are delighted that by working with Natural England, we have secured funds for land acquisition and land management advice to landowners in and around the amazing Natura site at Thorne and Crowle Moor.
“We are working across the Humberhead Levels with partners to secure the recovery of nature at a landscape-scale. This project particularly focuses on peatlands and we are excited to be working with the IUCN on trialling the peatland code in a lowland context. Excellent news for the new year!”
LIFE is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout the EU. Since 1992, LIFE has co-financed more than 4500 projects. The projects’ sites have seen an increase in visitors during the pandemic, and are popular for those appreciating wildlife, seeking solace in nature, or enjoying outdoor recreation.
Read more about EU LIFE and the partnerships here. ENDS Notes to editors: About LIFE:
Here are the full list of LIFE projects that Natural England currently leads on:
High resolution LIFE and Natura2000 logos are available to download at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/toolkit/comtools/resources/logos.htm About Natural England: Natural England is the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy and for the services they provide. Within England, Natural England is responsible for:
About the Environment Agency: Environment Agency is a partner in the LIFE WADER project and the LIFE R4ever Kent project.
About Freshwater Biological Association (FBA): The Freshwater Biological Association is a charity and membership organisation with a vision to be the leading independent UK organisation for freshwater information and advice. We promote sustainable management of freshwater ecosystems and resources, using the best available science. The FBA is based on the shores of Windermere and for the last 14 years has been running England’s national freshwater pearl mussel captive breeding programme. FBA is a partner in the LIFE R4ever Kent project. About Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is a wildlife conservation charity with over 25,000 members and over 100 nature reserves. With around 70 staff and more than 1,000 volunteers working together we aim to make Lincolnshire wilder and make nature part of life, for the benefit of all. Our purpose is to bring wildlife back, to empower people to take action for nature, and to create a society where nature matters. Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is a partner in the LIFE Moor Space project.
About the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Department, University of Newcastle Newcastle University (UNEW) is a civic university in NE England, whose purpose is to provide new knowledge and creative solutions that make a positive impact. They have a strong alignment with engagement and place and the co-creation of knowledge through partnerships and collaborations. UNEW have specialist expertise across marine, terrestrial, and freshwater systems and skills in integrating novel analytical techniques and spatial technologies allowing ecological questions to be addressed at a range of scales. UNEW is interested in the impacts of human activities on natural systems and has successfully delivered a range of projects: Integrating ecological knowledge and multi-resolution datasets to improve information on benthic habitats for Marine Protected Area planning; Variation in contamination of freshwater systems with connectivity of waterbodies (lakes and rivers) and the surrounding land-use. Newcastle University is a partner in the LIFE WADER project.
About South Cumbria Rivers Trust (SCRT): South Cumbria Rivers Trust’s objectives are to monitor, conserve and protect and when necessary rehabilitate and improve biodiversity of the lakes, rivers, and streams of South Cumbria. SCRT encourages the public, landowners, and businesses through education to understand the value of lakes and rivers including their fauna and flora, and the management of the water.South Cumbria Rivers Trust is a partner in the LIFE R4ever Kent.
About Tweed Forum The Tweed Forum (TF) was formed in 1991 to 'promote the sustainable use of the whole of the Tweed catchment through holistic and integrated management and planning'. In close partnership with its members TF staff work to protect, enhance, and restore the rich natural, built and cultural heritage of the River Tweed and its tributaries, working at both the strategic level and the project level to achieve tangible benefits on the ground. From its inception as an informal liaison group, the TF has grown to become a leader in the field of integrated land and water management. The TF is an umbrella body that includes all the relevant statutory and non-statutory bodies. It is a cross-border body that transcends the national boundary and manages the catchment as a whole and in an integrated way. It has built-up a track record of working with landowners to bring about tangible benefits to the environment and society at the catchment scale (across 5,000km2).Tweed Forum is a partner in the LIFE WADER project. |