Green Flag Innovation award for Wyre country park

Wyre Estuary Country Park’s Bioblitz caught the attention of Keep Britain Tidy judges.

The intensive biology themed event on World Environment Day last year was designed to raise awareness of wildlife in the Wyre estuary and park.

In total 15 inspirational parks and green spaces across the UK won the coveted award for bringing outstanding benefits to individual sites and local community.

Bioblitz was coordinated by marine biologist Jean Wilson, a Wyre Council and River Wyre Catchment Partnership volunteer and a member of the Society of Biology. She worked with council officers and volunteers.

Wyre Coun David Henderson said: Councillor David Henderson, Cabinet member with responsibility for parks and open spaces at Wyre Council, said: “This is a wonderful award for the country park, Wyre Council, and all those involved including local volunteers, past students and current staff from Blackpool and the Fylde College, without whose help this would not have been possible.”

The event also increased local land managers’ knowledge of the biodiversity of the site, providing up to date records of wildlife.

The records were given to the Lancashire Ecological Records Network and Wyre Council’s coast and countryside rangers to help improve future wildlife management and conservation.

• Wyre Estuary Country Park is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna in a wide range of habitats including saltmarshes, mudflats, woodland, grassland, heathland, scrubland and freshwater ponds. The site is bordered by the Wyre Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest.