Morecambe Bay

Morecambe Bay

An amazing place for people Our work so far and for wildlife Partnership work is the key to our From woodlands and grassland to peat success in providing resilient and long- bogs and reedbeds, the countryside term homes for nature. Throughout the surrounding Morecambe Bay is peppered NIA, we are working with Arnside and with exceptional sites and amazing habitats Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural for birds and other wildlife. Beauty (AONB), Butterfly Conservation, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the National In many places, these habitats can only be Trust to influence better management found in isolated pockets, making wildlife of 1,000 hectares (ha) of habitat around vulnerable. But we can change this. By Morecambe Bay. We are working closely working together with a variety of partners with farmers to advise them on how to through the Morecambe Bay Local Nature restore wetland habitats, including Partnership, we are helping to restore grazing marshes, reedbeds and ponds these vital areas of habitat. This will form to benefit wading birds and bitterns. connections and essential stepping stones between these pockets of land, allowing Through the Source to Sea programme, wildlife to move freely from place to place funded by the Catchment Restoration and thrive long into the future. Fund, we are working with a range of Creating habitat partners to tackle the causes of water for bitterns Through the Morecambe Bay Limestones pollution in the rivers and tributaries and Wetlands Nature Improvement Area flowing into Morecambe Bay. We have The sound of male bitterns (NIA) we’re also helping to create and also removed polluted silt from the lagoons “booming” is one of the most restore the nature-rich wetlands that at our Leighton Moss reserve with funding evocative sounds of spring. Always extend from the Bay up into the river from Natural England, and are working to secretive, their reedbed home, valleys. The wet grassland and reedbed find long-term solutions to pollution cryptic colouring and retiring nature habitats found here help to improve water problems in the wider landscape. can make it a real challenge to spot quality and nurture breeding bitterns, water them. But during the winter months voles and dragonflies, providing a range of The Bay and its surrounding habitats they get braver as their search for long-lasting benefits for both people and are so special we want everyone to know food – predominantly fish – becomes wildlife. At the same time, our partners it. We are working with Arnside and more difficult. Bitterns are one of are improving limestone woodlands and Silverdale AONB, Bay Tourism and the the UK’s most threatened birds. In grasslands, creating stepping stones and Morecambe Bay Partnership to promote north-west England, their numbers corridors to benefit a whole host of this incredible landscape. Together we have fallen from four birds in the flowers, butterflies and birds. have set up the Morecambe Bay Nature early 1990s to just one since 2004. Tourism Business Network, a fledgling They need our help. By restoring By engaging with local communities and group of over 70 tourism-related habitats and improving water quality making this diverse landscape even more businesses passionate about nature. We we hope to bring them back from special, we will be helping to support a aim to make Morecambe Bay one of the the brink and help them to thrive thriving rural economy, promoting high- UK’s top destinations for experiencing long into the future. quality local produce and wildlife tourism. and enjoying nature first hand. Kendal

Kirby Millom Lonsdale Ulverston Arnside Grange-over-sands

Barrow-in-Furness Carnforth Morecambe Bay Morecambe “ My farm is a traditional Lancaster 157-hectare Lakeland beef and sheep farm. With the help of an RSPB Farmland Produced by RSPB CDMU © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. RSPB licence 100021787 Adviser, I entered the Higher Level Stewardship scheme. This enables me to continue to manage my land and livestock in a way that Fleetwood provides ideal conditions for lapwings, redshanks and snipe, along with a range of other wildlife, including otters KEY and common dormice.” main road Futurescape area Blackpool Tony Wood, Abbots Reading Farm, Ulverston Special Protection Area Preston

What’s next? Get in touch We will continue to work together with farmers and We want to hear your ideas about how we can work together landowners, advising them on wetland habitat creation, to make Morecambe Bay even better for people and wildlife. funded through the Morecambe Bay NIA. West Coasts Reserves Area Manager Local tourism is also key to our vision. We will be developing Robin Horner a series of itineraries to encourage visitors to spend more T 07801 030661 time in Morecambe Bay, engaged in nature and culture- based activities. We will also continue to develop community engagement and volunteering opportunities throughout the Morecambe Bay area. Introducing local people to their stunning surroundings and the concept of landscape-scale conservation will not only bring health and well-being benefits, but it will safeguard nature’s future here too.

The Morecambe Bay Futurescapes project Natura 2000 – Europe’s Futurescapes is The RSPB is a member nature for you. We are generously supported of BirdLife International, is part of: working together across the by the EU Life+ a partnership of conservation EU to safeguard Europe’s rich Communications organisations working to give and diverse natural heritage Programme nature a home around the world for the benefit of all

Futurescapes is the RSPB’s contribution to landscape-scale conservation throughout the UK. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654. Images: bittern by Andrew Parkinson (rspb-images.com) and Morecambe Bay by Mille19 (Dreamstime.com). Maps produced by RSPB CDMU © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. RSPB licence 100021787. 020-1-1219-13-14