We nearly lost the Ribble. In the 1970s its future hung in the balance. Land claim and development seemed a likely fate for what, even then, was widely recognised as an important place for bird conservation. The size and scale of the challenge was beyond the resources of the RSPB of the 1970s and disaster was only averted when the Ribble was acquired for the nation by the Government. There were still casualties, a bite-shaped chunk of the estuary called Hesketh Out Marsh was embanked and lost to the tides (but more of that later).
Today, I was sent a link to the website of the Ribble Coast and Wetlands Regional Park. We are partners alongside a list of many organisations with which we have worked for decades. I’ve been lucky enough to spend a lot of my working life involved with the North West coast and the Ribble in particular. I left the region just as the ideas for the Regional Park were taking shape. So it is a particular pleasure to see the plan come together and that the Ribble, along with the wetlands nearby, are recognised as important for the wildlife they support but crucially are seen as central to what makes this coast so special for the people who live and work there and those who visit to enjoy it.
So, from development real estate to cherished Regional Park in just over 30 years. From a battleground of competing interests to a shared vision – it’s a great example of what can be achieved and a credit to all those involved.
And of Hesketh Out Marsh? You can find out here about the restoration of part of the site that was lost almost 30 years ago.
The picture is of the RSPB Ribble Discovery Centre – one of the projects that helped to build partnerships and establish the desire to ensure that more and more people were given the chance to learn to love the Ribble and its incomparable wildlife.