Friday 13 September 2024
A new project that aims to deepen people’s connection to nature, increase awareness of climate change and provide opportunities for more people to get involved with practical conservation has been awarded £1.1 million from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Over the next five years, and thanks to the support of National Lottery players, River Esk Connect (REConnect) will see schools, community groups, and volunteers take part in learning days and conservation activities including wildlife surveys, invasive species control, river monitoring and hedge laying. The project aims to inspire people to take the lead with environmental activities in their own communities, ensuring the River Esk and surrounding area grows as a nature-rich landscape that is protected for future generations.
Collaboration
REConnect is led by a group of organisations including the North York Moors National Park Authority, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Groundwork, and the Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership, bringing together experts in climate, ecology and community action.
The project area covers more than a third of the North York Moors National Park and includes moorland, woodland, river, estuary and farmland. It’s home to nationally important species such as kingfishers, salmon and water vole, not to mention the extremely rare and fascinating freshwater pearl mussel.
Public engagement
Alongside those living and working in the project area, new opportunities will be provided for tourists and visitors to ‘give back’ during their stay, such as taking part in easy-to-do volunteering activities such as litter picking or wildlife monitoring.
Increasing public awareness of climate change and how it damages nature is a key part of the project, as is how individuals can bring about and champion positive change.
It is hoped that the collaborative and community-led approach of REConnect will inspire other projects around the country, showcasing best practices and helping pave the way for further nature-recovery initiatives.
Briony Fox, Director of Conservation and Climate Change at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said:
“We know that people feel strongly about our wildlife and nature, but they may not know how to engage with it or protect it. Public concern about pollution and the health of our rivers is also higher than ever before, and we’d like to harness that and allow everyone to take real, positive action in their local area.
“We will provide training opportunities, so that people can get involved with our work, but perhaps more importantly, we’ll look to inspire people to make small changes in their own homes and lives. Collectively these can make a massive difference to the environment, both locally and beyond.”
Hellen Hornby Project Development Manager at Groundwork said:
“We are delighted to be playing our part in delivering the ecological and environmental elements of this project. The funding will enable us to create nine ‘green’ jobs and training opportunities for local people from rural communities. We will work with local community groups, schools and the public on a variety of engagement activities all linked to efforts to tackle climate change and encourage people to change their attitudes and actions and to do something good to minimise climate impact.
“Our focus will be ensuring that the money and our efforts benefit the local North Yorkshire community within the Esk catchment area.
“Anyone interested in getting involved should contact Groundwork at hellen.hornby@groundwork.org.uk.”
Ana Cowie, Marine Pollution Officer at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said:
“We are excited to work in collaboration with others to tackle pollutants all the way from source to sea.
“Up to 80% of plastic in our seas come from land-based sources via rivers and coastlines, causing the death of more than a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year through entanglement and ingestion. We now need to zoom out and take a holistic view, working with others across the whole of Yorkshire to tackle this crisis.”
Claire Argent, Manager at Natural England and Chair of the Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership Executive Board, said:
“We are delighted that the REConnect project has been successful in its bid; the opportunities and benefits that this project will bring for the local community and its wonderful natural environment are vast.
“Working together to raise public awareness of the area, educate and empower the community and support nature’s recovery will have long running benefits and lays strong foundations for a positive future.”
ENDS
Media contact
Nina Beadle
Communications Officer, North York Moors National Park Authority
press@northyorkmoors.org.uk
01439 772577
About The National Lottery Community Fund
We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.
We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.
We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with
Government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.
As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:
1. Come together
2. Be environmentally sustainable
3. Help children and young people thrive
4. Enable people to live healthier lives.
Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute around £500 million a year through 10,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4bn of funding into communities by 2030. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.
National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £47 billion has been raised and more than 670,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.
The North York Moors National Park
The North York Moors is a beautiful landscape of stunning moorland, ancient woodland and historic sites. Created on 28 November 1952, it became Britain’s sixth national park. Covering an area of 554 square miles (1,436 square kilometres) the National Park has 26 miles of coastline, two national nature reserves, 840 Scheduled Monuments and over 3,000 listed buildings, attracting an estimated 8.4 million visitors a year.
The National Park has two visitor centres, Danby Lodge National Park Centre and Sutton Bank National Park Centre, providing opportunities for cycling, walking, eating, picnicking, shopping, crafts and wildlife-watching. The centre in Danby also houses the Inspired by… gallery, which features regularly changing exhibitions by artists who draw their inspiration from the North York Moors.
The North York Moors National Park Authority works with a wide variety of people to care for this beautiful corner of Yorkshire, providing apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities with nearly 14% of staff being apprentices from local families.
To view other press releases and for further information about the North York Moors National Park, visit www.northyorkmoors.org.uk