South Gloucestershire Council has launched an ambitious new project which aims to improve, restore and create habitat in one of the region’s most iconic and important areas for wildlife.
Linking the Levels is a new nature recovery project which will focus on 17,230 hectares along the Severn Estuary covering the Lower Severn Vale, levels and shore. The council has been awarded £370,000 from the West of England Combined Authority through the Green Recovery Fund with a further £304,152 of match funding being provided from the council and project partners.
Over the next two years, the project will be conducting ecological surveying and engaging with local communities to plan a full programme of work to seek further funding, alongside delivering some initial work on the ground.
Linking the Levels aims to improve the internationally important habitat for wildfowl and wading birds, and support critically endangered species such as the European eel, water vole, glow worm and white-clawed crayfish. The project will also be tackling Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) such as mink and Himalayan Balsam, and carrying out work which will help restore nature, improve water quality and provide resilience to the changing climate.
South Gloucestershire Council will be working with a host of partner organisations, charities and local communities to deliver the project. Partners include Bristol Avon Rivers Trust, Bristol Zoological Society, the West of England Combined Authority, the Environment Agency, Natural England, as well as working with wider partnerships including the Severn Estuary Partnership and West of England Nature Partnership.
Linking the Levels will have a strong focus on increasing community awareness and participation and aims to involve local groups and volunteers in activities and initiatives. An important part of the project will be about raising awareness of and reducing the impact human activities can have on nature and how we can all play our part.
Councillor Louise Harris, Cabinet member for Climate and Nature Emergency, said: “Restoring nature and improving resilience to the impacts of the changing climate is a top priority for South Gloucestershire Council.
“The Severn Estuary is internationally important for wildlife but faces increasing pressures from climate change. Linking the Levels is an exciting nature recovery project which aims to restore, create, and connect habitat.
“I look forward to getting involved and seeing this ambitious project make a difference.”
Simon Hunter, Bristol Avon Rivers Trust CEO, said: “Linking the Levels represents a significant step towards a more resilient and biodiverse landscape, benefiting both wildlife and communities. Bristol Avon Rivers Trust will be leading the ‘Eelstream’ programme which will focus on developing opportunities to restore and protect critical habitats in various watercourses connected to the Severn Estuary, which are essential for the lifecycle of eels.
“By improving river connectivity, enhancing habitat, and improving water quality, the project will focus on developing strategies to support eels as they navigate the intricate rhines and ditch networks following their remarkable journey from the Sargasso Sea to the Severn Estuary. In doing so, it also contributes to the overall health of our aquatic ecosystems. This dual approach not only benefits the eels but also strengthens the ecological health and resilience of our watercourses.”
Doctor Jen Nightingale, Bristol Zoological Society UK Conservation Manager, said: “The Bristol Zoological Society UK Conservation Team is excited to be part of this important new conservation programme and partnership. For Linking the Levels, our team will be working with local communities, landowners, and businesses to control invasive non-native species and improve biosecurity. We will also be surveying for key priority native species such as water vole, glow worm and white-clawed crayfish to identify opportunities for both habitat restoration and species reintroduction.”
Alys Morris, Severn Estuary Partnership Manager, said: “The Severn Estuary, with its unique ecological significance and complex socio-economic dynamics, requires collaborative endeavours that span multiple workstreams. The Linking the Levels Project exemplifies such collaboration by addressing key challenges and opportunities, particularly in the realms of sustainable coastal management. This initiative is a crucial step towards enhancing the resilience and biodiversity of the Severn Estuary, benefiting both wildlife and local communities, promoting sustainable practices and fostering a healthier ecosystem for the future.”
A video is available here https://youtu.be/DJfyjbkah_U
If you would like more information about the scheme and how you could get involved email climate.emergency@southglos.gov.uk
