Wyre Estuary Country Park has received a Green Flag Special Award for Innovation for Bioblitz, a 24 hour event held on 5 June 2016 to raise awareness of the wildlife of the Wyre estuary.



It is one of just fifteen inspirational parks and green spaces in the UK to achieve the award from Keep Britain Tidy, for bringing outstanding benefits to both the site and the local community.

Bioblitz was coordinated by marine biologist Jean Wilson, who as well as being a member of the Society of Biology is also a volunteer with Wyre Council and the Wyre estuary group of the River Wyre Catchment Partnership (Wyre Waters).

A group of enthusiastic volunteers and council officers worked together to plan the event timed around World Environment Day. The country park hosted 24 hours of specific biology-based activities in the park and along the estuary.

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. Well done!”

The aim of the event was to increase local land managers’ knowledge of the biodiversity of the site, by providing up to date verified records of wildlife. These records were passed on to the Lancashire Ecological Records Network and Wyre Council’s coast and countryside rangers, to provide opportunities for improving wildlife management and conservation.

Wyre Estuary Country Park has been awarded Green Flag Awards, which recognise the best parks and green spaces in the country, for 12 years in a row and receives this special innovation accolade alongside.

It is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna which make use of the wide range of habitats that are represented in the area. These include saltmarshes, mudflats, woodland, grassland, heathland, scrubland and freshwater ponds. The site is bordered by the Wyre Estuary Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Find out more about Wyre Estuary Country Park.