THE hard work and commitment of the Wild Ennerdale partnership has been recognised at the BBC Cumbria Make a Difference Awards, with the group presented with the Environmental Award at a celebratory event held at Carlisle’s Halston Hotel on Saturday.
Alongside the company of extraordinary Cumbrians, recognised for achievements in the volunteer, community, fundraising and caring sectors, Forestry England’s Gareth Browning, local farmer Richard Maxwell and volunteers Julian Berkeley and Steve Steele, accepted the award on behalf of the project from BBC producer Jonathan Morrell.
With four admirable causes and individuals making it through to the final shortlist, judge (and Masterchef 2015 finalist) Irini Tzortzoglou named Wild Ennerdale the overall winner.
Following the announcements, Gareth Browning from Forestry England, said “The Wild Ennerdale project seeks to blur the traditional boundaries between forestry and farming and encourage natural processes to shape the landscape into a valley that allows biodiversity to flourish.
"Indeed, the work has been recognised nationally, with the project seen as a flagship for other re-wilding efforts around the UK.
“Together with Natural England, the Wild Ennerdale Partnership are proposing to declare much of the Ennerdale valley a National Nature Reserve.
"In additiona, there is a current consultation going ahead about the reintroduction of beavers to the valley, a move that would have a very positive impact on the variety of species in the valley as well as being a flood mitigation measure.”
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