Important nature sites receive National Lottery funding

Leeds City Council and Meanwood Valley Partnership have been jointly awarded £65,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Meanwood Valley: Wilderness on your Doorstep project.

Starting next month, the project focuses on celebrating the rich natural history of the Meanwood Valley. The Meanwood Valley has long been celebrated as a ‘green artery’ from the centre of urban Leeds to the rural countryside. It has a broad natural heritage, with a diverse range of habitats and a wealth of wildlife.

Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, this project will seek to promote an understanding of this wildlife and its management by increasing opportunities for local communities to discover and get involved in the natural environment of the Valley. There will be: a programme of volunteer activity, wildlife surveys, Bio blitzes, nature discovery events, interpretation and education. This will encourage a many people in the local community to celebrate this wildlife on their doorstep we aim to ensure the sustainability of this natural heritage into the future.

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council executive board member with responsibility for sustainability and the environment said:

“It is vitally important that we continue to protect those wonderful areas of natural beauty in Leeds that provide so much pleasure to people of all ages.

“Through this funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, we now have the opportunity to celebrate the wonderful Meanwood Valley and the wealth of wildlife that is found there. This funding will ensure that we are able to deliver a stimulating programme of activities for the local community to enjoy. We would like to encourage as many people as possible to get involved and to help us both promote and protect the Meanwood Valley.”

David Renwick, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund, Yorkshire and the Humber, said:

“Our green spaces and landscapes give our towns, cities and countryside their sense of place. We can all play a role in conserving and enhancing this vital nature. The Meanwood Valley project is the latest example of how buying a National Lottery ticket helps boost species and habitats in Yorkshire’s Back Garden.”

If you would like more information on volunteering with wildlife surveys or practical conservation, please contact the Ranger team at 0113 336 7549 or email countrysiderangers@leeds.gov.uk

ENDS

Notes to editors

About Leeds City Council

Leeds City Council is a local authority for the local region of Leeds which is home to over 700,000 residents. Find out more about Leeds City Council at http://leeds.gov.uk. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

About the Heritage Lottery Fund

Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about - from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife. www.hlf.org.uk. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #HLFsupported.

Further information

For further information, images and interviews please contact Tanya Goode at Leeds City Council on 07712217262, Tanya.Goode@Leeds.gov.uk