Environment River Esk project receives £1.1 million from National Lottery in bid to reconnect communities to nature By Louise French Comment Published 16th Sep 2024, 17:03 BST Updated 16th Sep 2024, 17:05 BST Esk Valley Walk River Esk near Glaisdale 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 Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sign up to our daily The Scarborough News Today newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to The Scarborough News, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting.
.. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Notice and Terms of Service apply.
Guided walk through Esk Valley photo by Brian Nicholson 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. River Esk, Egton Bridge credit Ebor Images 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Kingfisher credit Paul Harris “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.
Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad “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 [email protected] .
” Continue Reading Related topics: National Lottery National Lottery Community Fund Comment Comment Guidelines National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.
.
