North East Wildlife Trusts launch ambitious Living Landscapes project
5th March, 2009
Chris Packham by Paul Greenan
Chris Packham, writer, broadcaster and renowned naturalist will be visiting The Sage Gateshead on Tuesday 17 March to deliver a keynote speech and launch the North East Wildlife Trusts' Living Landscapes strategy.
Launching the new Living Landscape map and dynamic website, he will bring this exciting new idea to life and launch a new focus for conservation involving people for the future.
Living Landscapes is the Wildlife Trust’s new bold initiative to improve large areas of the region for the benefit of the environment, communities and the economy. The aim is to focus initially on nine key areas for improvement, to increase their wildlife value and at the same time enhance them for people and extend and connect these benefits, stretching from the Tyne to the Tees.
The Strategy is a robust approach also to helping people and wildlife adapt to climate change over the long term too.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the three Wildlife Trusts in the North East: Durham, Northumberland and Tees Valley who are championing the message: “It’s time to think Big”.
The three Trusts believe that there is a need to re-connect habitats to provide links between existing wildlife areas allowing species to move in the face of further change and at the same time connecting people with nature and helping them to understand the importance of wildlife as an essential element in their lives. The aim is to work with as many partners as possible to make this joined up vision a reality and in some places work has already started.
North East Wildlife Trusts have identified nine key areas to be nurtured and connected: Kielder Forest and Border Mires, the Hadrian’s Wall and Whin Sill corridors, Prestwick Carr and Druridge Bay in the Northumberland Wildlife Trust area; the Cassop and Kelloe Corridor and the MAGical Durham Coast and River Wear projects in the Durham Wildlife Trust area and the East Cleveland Landscape 
and Tees Park projects in the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust area.
The Border Mires
The Trusts will work with the National Parks, Local Authorities, Natural England and the Environment Agency, as well as the private sector, to develop similar approaches in the already well protected and wildlife rich uplands and the coast, and is keen to work with farmers and landowners everywhere to develop local wildlife links.
A series of vox pops featuring wildlife champions from the three wildlife trust areas offering their views on wildlife and the need for its conservation in the region will be aired.
The launch celebrations will begin with a carnival of animals into The Sage Gateshead. Thirty pupils from three schools: Toner Avenue Primary in Hebburn, Norton Primary in Stockton on Tees and St Michael’s R.C. Primary in Elswick, Newcastle will proceed into The Sage Gateshead with huge cut outs of five of the species contained in the Living Landscapes logo: hares, fish, dragonflies, otters and frogs which they have been decorating.
Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Chief Executive said: “All three wildlife trusts and our partners and supporters are very excited about the Living Landscapes project in the North East. We are delighted that such a renowned and passionate environmentalist as Chris Packham is taking the time to join us for our launch”.
He continued: “This strategy has the potential to literally change the face of the region over time, making it a better place for wildlife and people to live and to help create a North East environment with a reputation for having the highest quality landscapes where people enjoy working, playing and investing.”
Sunset at Druridge Bay by Adam Pacey
To view Chris Packham at Prestwick Carr, March 2009 please click on the following link:
http://www.wild-net.org/videos/livinglandscapes/test.html