Spectacular! New Ennerdale National Nature Reserve in Cumbria is ninth largest in England

                                                     

Ennerdale - river is home to Ice Age fish species

A NEW National Nature Reserve has today been officially declared by Natural England. 

Comprising more than 3,000 hectares of water, forests and mountains, Wild Ennerdale in West Cumbria is the largest nature reserve in the county and the ninth largest in England.

Its designation as an NNR follows partnership working over the past two decades by four organisations - Forestry England, National Trust, United Utilities and Natural England.

Enthuses NE chairmanTony Juniper: "Wild Ennerdale is a diverse landscape which supports  unique wildlife, including red squirrels, pearl mussels and the Arctic charr - a fish that dates back to the last Ice Age."

He continues: "National Nature Reserves are at the very centre of our ambition to create a vibrant national Nature Recovery Network comprised of bigger and better places for both wildlife and people.

"The Ennerdale partnership is a great example of what we have in mind and shows how working together can achieve that aim."

Agrees Environment Minister Trudy Harrison: "Ennerdale  is a haven for fish, birds and insects and provides much treasured access to green space for local people. 

"The declaration today strengthens our commitment to nature’s recovery and our ambitions under the 25 Year Environment Plan to leave the natural world in a better state than we found it."