LNER Helps Wildlife To Thrive in County Durham

The Great North Fen restoration is a long-term project managed by Durham Wildlife Trust which is bringing back grassland, fens, ponds and wet woodland to a site near the River Skerne in southern County Durham.

Ricknall Carrs, which is just north of Darlington station and can be seen from LNER services travelling along the East Coast Main Line, had historically been an area of wetland since the ice age. However, the need for agricultural land in the nineteenth century saw the area drained, leading to the loss of natural habitats that were thousands of years old. The Trust says not only was local wildlife affected, but the drained areas exposed lowland peat which emits carbon as it degrades, contributing to global climate change.

Durham Wildlife Trust successfully applied to the LNER Customer and Community Investment Fund (CCIF) for funding to help towards the restoration of the agricultural land, and to establish the Great North Fen Habitat. The project aimed to reseed grassland, plant new wetland plants, restore hedgerows and provide new pond environments for invertebrates, which would in turn attract breeding birds and mammals such as otters and water voles back to the area.

Jim Cokill, Durham Wildlife Trust Director, said: “The work funded by LNER is the first step in delivering the vision for the Great North Fen, an area of wildlife rich wetlands, woodlands and farmland that could extend over 850 hectares. Partners like LNER are helping to deliver nature's recovery at a landscape scale and creating better environments for wildlife and people.”

Rachael Wilson, Community Investment Manager for LNER, said: “The Great North Fen restoration is such an inspiring project and is closely aligned with our own aims of being better for people, places and planet. Restoring these habits not only benefits the wider environment, but also the local community, with new volunteers getting involved to help restore nature. LNER is incredibly proud to support Durham Wildlife Trust in its ambition to bring this area back to its former glory.”

The positive impact the project is making can be seen in a short film shared by LNER.