Bristol Zoological Society secures funding for Avon Gorge conservation projects
Initiatives to restore rare species and support crayfish recovery
Bristol Zoological Society is leading major conservation projects to restore rare species populations in the Avon Gorge, supported by significant funding and backed by Natural England's Species Recovery Programme.
The Society has secured £298,780 for the Living Limestones project in Bristol's Avon Gorge, dedicated to safeguarding nine priority species. This includes plants and invertebrates found solely in the UK, through practical habitat restoration and targeted conservation efforts.
The Avon Gorge’s unique environment, characterized by steep slopes, calcareous soils, and a warmer microclimate, supports several rare species such as the Bristol rock-cress, Bristol onion, and the Critically Endangered White's whitebeam.
In partnership with the National Trust, Bristol City Council, and the University of Bristol Botanic Garden, the Society will deliver habitat restoration, invasive species removal, seed collection, habitat creation trials, and targeted species recovery work over the next two and a half years.
Anna Stevens, Biodiversity Engagement Manager, commented, “The Avon Gorge is a remarkable landscape where targeted management can make a real difference to some of England’s most threatened species. This project will help restore and expand the habitats they depend on.”
Moreover, Bristol Zoological Society contributes its expertise in conserving white-clawed crayfish to a £1.5 million national programme led by The Wildlife Trusts to recover the UK's only native freshwater crayfish.
White-clawed crayfish populations have faced severe declines due to habitat loss, pollution, invasive non-native crayfish, and the spread of crayfish plague.
Jen Nightingale, UK Conservation Manager, mentioned, “This national programme represents a lifeline for the globally Endangered white-clawed crayfish. The knowledge and experience we've built over that time will now contribute to a coordinated national effort.”
Together, these projects aim to restore habitats, support species recovery, and enhance ecosystem resilience across England, aiding national efforts to reverse wildlife declines and mitigate species extinction risks.
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