David Nichols
Les Stubbs
Peter Dawson
There's a diverse range of wildlife experiences to be had along the Yorkshire coast and in the Wolds, with three flagship Trust reserves in the area. This is a great opportunity to develop the nature tourism market here, in co-operation with other conservation partners, and promote the experience to visitors from both the UK and overseas.
Interest in nature, fascination with charismatic species, and concerns about loss of habitat and climate change are reaching new highs. Wildlife has always been popular, but thanks to prime-time television coverage from BBC’s Countryfile, Springwatch and others, the public’s fascination with the UK’s own spectacular species and habitats has grown. Combine this with the weak pound and the trend towards the weekend break and the “staycation”, and there’s a strong business case for taking a close look at Yorkshire’s nature tourism assets and their potential for increasing local incomes. That’s just what the Trust started in 2010, with funding from LEADER, based on support from the EU and Defra’s Rural Development Programme for England. The Nature Tourism Triangle project is showing how tourism income could help revitalise Yorkshire’s coastal and inland economy.
For more information visit the Yorkshire Nature Triangle website.
Yorkshire’s Nature Triangle
Bounded by the east coast from Filey Brigg to Spurn Point, by North Cave, the Wolds and the River Hull catchment to the west, and by the Humber estuary to the south. The Trust has three flagship reserves in this Nature Tourism Triangle, where exciting new schemes are afoot:
Spurn Point
Spurn is one of the finest sites in Europe to see migrating birds, which use the peninsula as a waypoint and feeding station after an often difficult passage. The Trust aims to secure funds to make visible improvements, converting the famous lighthouse into a visitor centre, and adding toilets at both ends of the peninsula.
Flamborough Cliffs
The spectacular headland is home to thousands of seabirds, and boasts a fascinating marine ecosystem (featured in the Spring 2010 edition of Wildlife Yorkshire). The Trust is keen to show that Flamborough’s biodiversity and wildlife interest are entirely dependent on the geology, tidal currents and cool, nutrient rich waters off the coast. The aim is to explain, in a new visitor centre at South Landing, how these Living Seas are so vital for both wildlife and people, and how we can restore the North Sea’s health.
North Cave Wetlands
This spectacularly successful adoption of a working sand and gravel extraction site is hosting a growing population of breeding avocets. North Cave already has first-class viewing facilities and is due for major expansion over the next 10 years. Its position right at the western approach to the Nature Tourism Triangle makes it a key location, and its size and keen volunteer group means that it can support increasing numbers of visitors wanting to see lots of birds at close quarters.
These are just some of the wildlife attractions within the project area. When you add in The Deep in Hull, Yorkshire Water’s Tophill Low reserve near Beverley, the upper River Hull catchment, Hornsea Mere, Filey Brigg and Filey Dams, and the Trust’s reserves in the Yorkshire Wolds, a compelling and diverse list of habitats emerges. Many keen naturalists will already know of the richness of the area, but increasingly, people of all ages who have been turned on to the possibilities in the UK are looking for guidance on where to go for a great wildlife experience.
There’s no doubt that Yorkshire’s vast scale can handle more visitor numbers, provided that the increase is planned, and supported by good transport and infrastructure. Reserves all over Europe are demonstrating that areas with similar resources and potential are being successfully developed - in the Netherlands, Denmark, France and further afield. These examples show how more visitors can be accommodated in sensitive areas, increasing income and job variety in the local economy. Many visitors now demand an “eco” dimension to their family holidays, too. The Trust is convinced that the tourism income they will bring can transform the fortunes of Yorkshire’s coast and Wolds.
