Partnership to protect Northamptonshire’s wildlife celebrates one year milestone

25 November 2025

A year on from the launch of a dedicated Wildlife Warden role at the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits Special Protection Area (SPA), West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), North Northamptonshire Council (NNC), and partners are celebrating the positive impact this joint approach is having on one of the area’s most ecologically important landscapes.

Stretching from Northampton to Thrapston, the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits SPA is a nationally designated wildlife site and internationally important Ramsar wetland.

The project - delivered collaboratively with Natural England and The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire (The Wildlife Trust) - is helping to safeguard a mosaic of wetland habitats that support internationally significant numbers of overwintering wading birds, including golden plover, wigeon, snipe and lapwing. Every winter, more than 20,000 birds migrate from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia to rest and feed in this vital stretch of the Nene Valley.

The partnership forms part of a Planning-led initiative funded through mitigation contributions made to both North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council (SAMMs payments). These contributions are required when new residential dwellings are built within 3km of the SPA, helping to deliver the councils’ Mitigation Strategy - a planning policy document that enables sustainable development while protecting the SPA from increased recreational pressures.

The area provides sanctuary for rare and vulnerable species, essential water storage during drought, and natural flood protection for local communities. Yet increasing recreation pressures – such as dogs off leads in sensitive areas - continue to pose challenges for wildlife trying to nest, rest and feed undisturbed.

To help address these pressures, the councils’ Mitigation Strategy has enabled the creation of a dedicated SPA Engagement Officer role, delivered by The Wildlife Trust. Over the past year, Engagement Officer Lara Jones has worked closely with local communities, volunteers, dog walkers, visitor centres and partner organisations to promote responsible access and increase understanding of the SPA’s special status.

The Wildlife Trust’s newly published first-year report highlights a range of successful initiatives. including:

• Improved on-site signage and clearer messaging, making it easier for visitors to understand when and where dogs must be kept on leads.
• Regular guided walks and community sessions, helping people discover the wildlife on their doorstep and understand how simple changes can protect it.
• The ‘Guide in the Hide’ programme, introducing families, photographers and new birdwatchers to species they may never have seen before.
• Partnership events with schools, scouts and local groups, using fun, hands-on activities to inspire a new generation of nature champions.
• Collaboration with dog-owner community initiatives, including the growing ‘Nene Valley Woofs’ campaign and the annual Dogs on Leads awareness programme.
• Strengthened volunteer networks, with local groups at sites such as Titchmarsh and Kinewell Lake becoming informed and proud ambassadors for the SPA.

Much of this progress has been led through a community-first approach, using the Wildlife Trust’s ‘Team Wilder’ ethos of active listening to understand how people use these spaces and what support they need to help wildlife thrive. Early insights show that most disturbance is unintentional, underlining the importance of positive engagement and education rather than enforcement alone.

Residents can also play a vital role in protecting the area’s wildlife. Keeping dogs on leads in sensitive areas such as the Nene Washlands, staying on marked paths, and giving birds plenty of space to rest all make a significant difference to their long-term survival.

The Upper Nene Valley is one of the most remarkable wildlife landscapes in the country, and it sits right on our doorstep. This partnership approach shows what’s possible when councils, conservation organisations and local communities come together with a shared goal: protecting and celebrating the biodiversity that makes our area such a special place to live.

The progress achieved in just one year is incredibly encouraging. By raising awareness, supporting responsible access and involving people of all ages in caring for these habitats, we are helping ensure that this internationally important site - and the thousands of birds that depend on it - are safeguarded for generations to come.Cllr Thomas Manning, Cabinet Member for Planning at West Northamptonshire Council

We are extremely fortunate to have some beautiful landscapes and environments in Northamptonshire. The Upper Nene Valley is a prime example of this, and we must do all we can to preserve it for future generations in any way we can.

So much has been achieved in the last year, building on previous work by both councils, and I would encourage residents and visitors to work with us, as well as partners, to continue to protect and develop such an important natural asset.Cllr Jan O’Hara, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Planning and Economic Growth

More information, including guidance for dog walkers and details of upcoming events, is available on The Wildlife Trust’s new SPA website.