PRESS RELEASE

19 October 2009

CHESHIRE’S FIRST LIVING LANDSCAPE MANAGER

Richard Gardner has been appointed the Living Landscape Manager for Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s first Living Landscape project, the Gowy and Mersey Washlands.

Formerly the North West Water Vole Project Officer, Richard will now be responsible for overseeing the project which incorporates land management, community engagement, business liaison and habitat creation and restoration.

The Gowy and Mersey Washlands Living Landscape focuses on linking up individual wildlife sites and wildlife corridors within a huge project area that follows the course of the River Gowy from its source on the Sandstone Ridge to where it joins the River Mersey, then extends up the Mersey corridor to include Frodsham marsh, then on through Runcorn and into Warrington.

The Trust’s vision is to create a resilient network of wetland habitats that benefit local wildlife as well as people and the economy. The funding raised so far will be used to improve and restore 450ha (990 acres) of floodplain grazing marsh, create 10 ha (22 acres) of reedbed and create 10ha of wet woodland by March 2011. The project forms part of a 50-year Wetland Vision to revive wetland habitats locally and nationally.

“This is a highly exciting time for Cheshire Wildlife Trust and its plans to create A Living Landscape for Cheshire,” said Charlotte Harris, Director of Conservation for CWT. “The scale of this project means there is scope to make a dramatic improvement on the quality of life for many wildlife species, as well as for people living in Cheshire.”

“I’m greatly looking forward to managing the Living Landscapes project,” said Richard Gardner. “The Gowy and Mersey Washlands will not only create space for wildlife to thrive and disperse, but as a wetland landscape it will also provide essential ecosystem services such as floodwater storage, carbon capture and tranquil places for local people to visit and enjoy.

“Among the wildlife that will benefit are key species such as curlew, snipe, lapwing, redshank, water vole, otter and mud snail.

“In addition local communities will be involved in using and shaping this important landscape area for themselves and future generations to enjoy.”

The Trust’s Appeal to raise funding for this project continues: to make a donation or for further information please call 01948 820728.

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