Biodiversity and Protected Species

Biodiversity is the variety of life, the wide range of plants, animals, fungi and other organisms that share our planet. Globally more and more species are threatened with extinction and unfortunately this is the case in the UK as well as many other countries across the world.

Here in Castle Morpeth, we are keen to help protect our environmental heritage. We do this while delivering a range of council services, raising public awareness of the problems and by working closely with partners and projects to protect habitats and species in decline or needing other protection.

Here are some of the ways we are working with wildlife:

Public events and education: we run a range of events and walks and talks with the rangers, visit schools, and work with out of school projects to promote wildlife.

Planning services: there are many challenges and opportunities for our wildlife offered by planning. Click here to view details of Tree Preservation Orders, Planning Applications, Flood risk areas, see how the system works and much more.

Nature reserves: Castle Morpeth Borough Council manages a range of publicly accessible Local Nature Reserves for the benefit of wildlife and local people, working with a range of community groups. There are many other nature reserves, protected sites, Country Parks and other wildlife areas within the borough, click here to find out more.

Grounds Maintenance and waste: to view the service standard leaflet on maintaining public open spaces in Castle Morpeth please click here. 

Some of the partners, projects and organisations we work with:

Northumberland Wildlife Trust: part of the national family of Wildlife Trusts, Northumberland Wildlife Trust works to promote and protect wildlife, manage nature reserves and work with communities and businesses to invoke positive action for wildlife conservation in the county.

Northumberland Biodiversity Action Plan: this plan is a set of objectives and targets to assist species and habitats most at risk within Northumberland. Castle Morpeth has been working closely with the NBAP in its recent re-launch, click on the link to find out more about it, and the habitats and species we are trying to protect.

Exploring Your Environment: the EYE project is based at Tyne and Wear Museums but is a joining of many partners in a project that aims to get people out and recording the wildlife that they see. Click on the link to find out more.

BLOOM: this project is an urban green-space project run by a partnership, led by Groundwork Northumberland.

Action for species

Click on the species to find out who is working to protect it and how you can help. (No responsibility is accepted for the content of pages managed by third parties)

Red squirrels
Save Our Squirrels: working to promote red squirrel conservation and awareness in England, click to find out how to help this endearing animal.
Red Squirrel Protection Partnership: this is a partnership formed to protect reds from grey squirrels, which complements the work of Save Our Squirrels.
Ponteland Red Squirrels: a group of local people working with SOS and RSPP to help red squirrels in Ponteland.

Red Squirrel Conference.  Click here for the resources and information released as part of Castle Morpeth's Red Squirrel Conference.

Seals

Birds

Cetaceans
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society: whale watching tips and more.

Bats
Bat Conservation Trust: click here to view information on bats, how to help them and take part in national surveys.
Northumberland Bat Group site currently under construction.

Otters
Click here to view Environment Agency site: call 08708 506 506 (Mon-Fri 8-6) to report a dead otter and help the National survey.

Dealing with invasive non-native species
Click here to view Environment Agency guidance pages