A West Cumbrian charity is to receive a portion of a £14.5 million pot from Natural England to help the conservation of a rare species.

The West Cumbria Rivers Trust (WCRT) Resilience for Margaritifera (ReForM) freshwater mussel project has received funding to enable habitat creation to support population reinforcements to move freshwater mussel populations towards sustainable management.

WCRT will also work with local communities including land managers to raise awareness of the project and explain its importance. 

The freshwater mussel is critically endangered and is a priority species in England. Across Europe populations are in decline and within the UK there has been a 90 per cent decline in numbers over the last century. 

As such, there is a significant threat of population extinction within England. Cumbria is home to more than 90 per cent of the English freshwater mussel population, so this project will help deliver against the Environment Act 2021 target to reduce the risk of species extinction and aims to reintroduce more than 2000 mussels. 

Chris West, River Irt Project Officer said:  “Freshwater mussel populations are critically endangered and under continued pressure; our project involves improvements to habitat and releases of captive bred mussels to boost population numbers giving them a better chance of long-term survival.”

Whilst the freshwater mussel is the target species, the habitat interventions undertaken by this project will also provide benefits to other species including the critically endangered European eel and the endangered Atlantic salmon, alongside brown trout, river lamprey and otter.

The project will have wider benefits for water quality and climate change resilience helping reduce the risk of flooding and drought. 

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A natural England Spokesperson said: “We are delighted to be supporting the West Cumbria Rivers Trust in their freshwater mussel species recovery project. 

“The freshwater mussel is an iconic, but declining, species in Cumbria and this project will not only improve the prospects of the mussel, but also enhance protected river habitat through interventions such as floodplain reconnection and woodland planting. 

“These works in turn will support other at-risk species such as eel, salmon and trout, and help to connect local communities with nature through volunteering opportunities.”