Conserving Coniston & Crake – Healthy water for wildlife and communities
The Coniston and Crake Catchment Partnership under the umbrella of South Cumbria Rivers Trust have been awarded a grant of £763,300 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to manage the Conserving Coniston & Crake project for the local community’s Coniston and Crake Catchment Partnership. This is a great example of communities and partnerships working together to achieve large scale success; delivering improvements to the catchments’ water quality, habitats and biodiversity through conservation and community engagement.
Through Conserving Coniston & Crake, the Coniston and Crake Catchment Partnership and South Cumbria Rivers Trust will be working in partnership with volunteers, local communities and organisations on a wide range of practical conservation projects and community events. Activities for families and local schools, community arts,and an oral history project will form part of an extensive and exciting programme for local schools and visitors alike. There are numerous opportunities to get involved, so if you would like to try something new and learn new skills; to get in touch or find out more please visit the Conserving Coniston & Crake website: https://ccc.scrt.co.uk/
Coniston Water and the Crake Valley is enjoyed and valued by many: this spectacular landscape is a mosaic of different habitats, and home to some of our rarest and most loved species, including Atlantic Salmon, Arctic Charr, otters and bats. However, problems such as poor water quality, invasive non-native species and man-made changes to the natural habitats mean that the lake, rivers and their wildlife are under threat. The Conserving Coniston & Crake project will work alongside local communities to support the landscape and wildlife which are so important to the history and cultural identity of this beautiful area.
Volunteers undertaking walkover surveys training during the development phase of the project
Conserving Coniston & Crake Project Officer Charlotte Hall commented: “We’re delighted that we’ve received this support thanks to National Lottery players. The Coniston and Crake Valley is a beautiful place to live, and very popular with visitors. However, the lake, river and becks are under threat. This local community project will help raise awareness of the issues and make sure that we have the clean water and habitats to support our native plants and wildlife for the years to come.”
Nathan Lee, Head of HLF North West said “We are delighted to provide funding for this project, which, through National Lottery players will ensure that the beauty and biodiversity of one of the Lake District’s most famous lakes, Coniston Water, is preserved for all the visitors and local communities that enjoy it”.
The project is run by South Cumbria Rivers Trust and the Coniston and Crake Catchment Partnership, working together with the Lake District National Park Authority and the National Trust as well as other local and national organisations.
For more information please visit the Conserving Coniston & Crake website: https://ccc.scrt.co.uk/