Big boost for Dee Estuary wildlife from National Lottery

Cheshire Wildlife Trust has received initial National Lottery support for a major conservation project focusing on the Dee Estuary.

The project, made possible by National Lottery players, aims to inspire coastal communities on the Wirral and in Flintshire and Denbighshire about the natural heritage of the Dee Estuary.

Emily Cunningham, a Marine Conservation Consultant, led on writing the bid for the project and secured £101, 400 of development funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. This will help Cheshire Wildlife Trust progress its plans to apply for a full National Lottery grant at a later date. Emily said:

“People are at the heart of this exciting new project, which not only celebrates the incredible wildlife of the Dee Estuary but also creates opportunities for local people to play their part in securing its future. Over the next 18 months, Cheshire Wildlife Trust will be working with communities on both sides of the estuary to gather their input as they build their application for a full National Lottery grant. We want to find our Dee Champions – so if that’s you, we hope to meet you soon!” 

The project will deliver a number of initiatives to help communities take action for wildlife and wild places on both sides of the estuary. There will be opportunities to help look after wild places and to learn more about them through a programme of activities for all ages.

The international importance of the estuary will be reflected in projects that explore the journey birds follow to get there and twins wild places on the estuary with similar places in Europe. Making the estuary part of people’s lives is central to the project, with businesses and local community being encouraged to take positive steps to keep the estuary healthy for wildlife.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is running the project on behalf of the Tidal Dee Catchment Partnership, which brings together a range of local organisations with an interest in the estuary. Commenting on the award, Tom Woodall, Chair of the Tidal Dee Catchment Partnership said:

“We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players. The estuary is an amazing place for wildlife with more than 120,000 waterfowl visiting annually. That’s almost one for every resident of Flintshire. This avian movement is on a massive scale, yet many of us barely notice that a global spectacle is being played out around us. We want to use this funding to celebrate our nature and unite the communities across the estuary by reconnecting them to a common estuarine heritage”.

Neil Smith, Senior Conservation Officer for Natural Resources Wales said:

“The Tidal Dee Catchment Partnership brings together local councils, wildlife organisations and others to work for the benefit of the environment and local community. Many people living very close to the Dee may not know about the amazing natural resource that is right on their doorstep. This is an exciting opportunity to use innovative approaches to link people of all ages with the local environment.”