Natural England

North West wildlife to benefit as Natural England announces an extra £5 million for green projects

Natterjack toads, rare orchids and ancient sites of boggy mossland are just a few of the North West’s most threatened species and habitats in line for a cash windfall as Natural England today announces an extra £5 million to support wildlife recovery.

Natural England, the Government’s environmental champion, has unveiled a £5 million Countdown 2010 Biodiversity Action Fund (BAF) open to voluntary conservation organisations across the country that are helping to safeguarding the natural environment. Today is International Biodiversity Day (22 May 2008), when scientists and environmentalists across the world are drawing a spotlight on the dangers of climate change and the threats to our global environment.

The North West holds a rich tapestry of wildlife and habitats of international significance, and Natural England is already working to protect sites and species under threat. Money given by Natural England under a previous Countdown 2010 scheme paid for:

• In Cumbria, six important sites for natterjack toads in Allerdale, Barrow-in-Furness and Copeland have been improved along their current coastal stronghold.
• Restoration plans have been produced for five important mossland sites in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, including Bolton, Wigan and Salford.
• An extra 16 sites in Cumbria have been designated as County Wildlife sites.

Liz Newton, Regional Director for Natural England in the North West said: “Our estuaries and coasts, uplands and wetlands are of international importance and are already enjoyed by millions of residents and visitors. But there is no room for complacency, many challenges, from development pressures, pollution to overgrazing of our uplands and habitat fragmentation in the lowlands, need to be tackled if we are to conserve and enhance our natural heritage.

“This new funding will help us to work with partners across the North West to deliver practical projects on the ground that will not only bring benefits to wildlife and habitats but will bring nature into people’s lives, help support tourism and enhance the quality of life and the image of our region”.

In Lancashire, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust has restored 39 hectares of lowland raised bog at a number of important mossland sites in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, including Bolton, Wigan and Salford. These sites had become degraded over time due to peat extraction and changes in water levels. The restoration work includes blocking ditches to prevent water running off, and restoring water levels to create suitable conditions for the bog vegetation. Drains were also blocked to control water levels on the sites which will help sphagnum and other species of moss to thrive. The project has also raised awareness of the importance of mossland habitats because of the links to climate change and the removal and long term storage of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the use of natural carbon sinks such as forests, soils or the ocean. The work has also promoted the use of peat-free alternatives for gardening. The project officer also visited 8 different schools and a Surestart centre (WHERE?) to give “magical mossland” talks to explain the importance of preserving mossland habitats.

In Cumbria, Natural England has also paid for vital work to preserve the natterjack toad population, which has declined by 75% across the UK over the last century. Currently, around half of England’s remaining population occur along the Cumbrian coast in increasingly isolated pockets where they are confined to the coastal strip. They breed in ponds in sand dunes and pools on salt marshes and loss of habitat is the main threat to natterjack toads. The Herpetological Conservation Trust employed a project officer to develop a strategy for natterjacks to safeguard this species in Cumbria. Habitat management work at a number of important sites along the coast in Allerdale, Barrow-in-Furness and Copeland has improved conditions and helped to halt species decline.

Volunteers have been trained to monitor breeding populations in order to collect data on numbers of calling males, numbers of spawn strings and toadlet emergence. A programme of guided walks has also been undertaken, attracting over 200 people. This project is also working with landowners and farmers to ensure habitats and landscapes are not fragmented so that natterjack populations do not become isolated in one place. This is being achieved with the help of agri-environment scheme funding that facilitates appropriate habitat management for the species, with landowners signing up for Natural England schemes which allow their land to be managed in an environmentally friendly way.

The £5 million of national funding goes into a new grant scheme ‘Countdown 2010’ which shares its name with the international campaign which publicises the commitment by European governments to halt biodiversity loss by 2010. The new funding is announced during the same week that Natural England publishes its State of the Natural Environment report which highlights the need for England to adopt a new approach to conservation to support some of our most precious wildlife. Defra today also publishes an update of its priority list of threatened species and habitats in England.

This list contains 941 species, nearly twice the number on the previous list, including familiar species that have suffered rapid recent declines including the hedgehog and house sparrow. It also contains 56 habitats including traditional orchards and some brownfield habitats that are important for wildlife. The Countdown 2010 fund will target the species and habitats on this list.

Natural England’s Countdown 2010 Biodiversity Action Fund (BAF) will support projects carried out by Voluntary Conservation Organisations that directly contribute to the conservation of UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority habitats and species in England. All grants will be made for three years from 2008 to the end of March 2011. Grants will be awarded for a minimum of £25,000 and a maximum of £250,000 in each of the three years. Further details and an application form can be found on the Natural England website www.naturalengland.org.uk

For more information please contact the Natural England Press Office on 0845 603 9953, press@naturalengland.org.uk, out of hours 07970 098005. For further information about Natural England please visit: www.naturalengland.org.uk

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Notes for editors:

The North West contains 31 of the 37 broad habitat types which encompass the full range of terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats present in the UK. A total of 97 species of particular conservation importance including UK priority species occur in the region. Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.

Announcing the new funding, Natural England's Chief Executive, Helen Phillips, said: "We continue to see declines in species such as the red squirrel, lapwing and starfruit, and their habitats. Halting this loss is vital, not just for our wildlife but because often these areas provide essential services such as flood management and carbon storage. “Through this scheme we will work with our partners to deliver real gains for biodiversity that will benefit us all. Countdown 2010 will make a real difference to the practical delivery of projects on the ground and support people to take part in protecting their local environment and secure the benefits an enhanced environment makes to their every day lives,” concluded Helen Phillips.

Countdown 2010
Countdown 2010 galvanises European Union member countries to take specific steps to save biodiversity in its realm by supporting governments and other stakeholders to achieve the 2010 biodiversity target. Countdown 2010 combines efforts to save biodiversity within a powerful network of active partners, including governments, cities and regions, and civil society organisations. National platforms assess performance, create awareness and demand action. For more information visit the website http://www.countdown2010.org