Somerset’s Got Wetland Talent!

Yatton councillor wins £1,000 for his work at the Strawberry Line and
Biddle Street SSSI

Jo Winyard of the Marsh Christian Trust presents Tony Moulin with The Marsh Award for Wetland Conservation, L-R: Faith Moulin, Tony Moulin, Jo Winyard, Rob Shore (WWT)

At a special wetland conference this week, Councillor Tony Moulin received the Marsh Award for Wetland Conservation and a prize of £1,000.

WWT gives the Marsh Award to recognise the good work and talent of people who create and look after wetlands.

This spring, WWT asked for nominations from all over the country for the wetlands that people enjoy visiting and think benefit their community. WWT then searched out the people behind the scenes.

Of those shortlisted, the judges chose Tony Moulin in Yatton, North Somerset for his role in managing and enhancing the Strawberry Line and Biddle Street Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

WWT Head of Wetland Conservation, Rob Shore, presented the prize with Jo Winyard of the Marsh Christian Trust. He explains: “In parks and green spaces across the country, wetlands quietly look after us. People enjoy walking there, children play and learn about the natural world and they are a haven for wildlife. What’s more, they store floodwater, protecting our homes and businesses; and they keep our waterways clean, providing us with the clean water that is vital for our survival.

“So we set out to find the unsung heroes who look after the wetlands. The wetlands at Biddle Street on The Strawberry Line are such a place and Tony Moulin is a fine example of why the people who manage them deserve recognition.”

Tony Moulin said: "I am very grateful to receive this award and for the encouragement, help and inspiration of many people over the past twenty years. In particular I am thankful for all the people who have supported the achievements of Yatton and Congresbury Wildlife Action Group (YACWAG) in making a difference and enabling people to enjoy and learn about our local wetland wildlife.

“I truly believe that volunteers working locally have an impact which cumulatively has a global significance. People have a lot to gain through getting involved - we never know what the results of our work will be but it gives us hope and this award will help me spread that message".

The Biddle Street wetlands on the Strawberry Line are a patchwork of rhynes, ponds and ditches that are rich in water insects and plants. Tony Moulin has worked hard to manage it so that it looks great and is well used and loved by the local community.

Rob Shore continues:

“Tony shows that one person with a passion really can make a difference. We hope that he is an inspiration to others.

“Since the start of the industrial revolution it is estimated that as much as 90% of the wetlands in England have been lost and we are now paying the price with more floods, less wildlife and land that is less resilient to drought. Anybody with a garden or any business with a bit of land, however small, can make a difference by creating wetland habitat.”

The Marsh Award 2011 goes to the person who is judged to be mainly responsible for managing the wetland in recognition of their unsung contribution to creating a wetland for everyone to enjoy.

The things WWT looked for to help judge the award were:
• Accessible to as many people as possible
• Attractive and brings a wide range of benefits to the people who live nearby
• Home to a wide variety of wild plants and animals
• Managed by someone who makes a real difference by caring for the wetland, and/or improving the benefits it provides to local people. They could do this either themselves or through organising and inspiring others

The Marsh Award for Wetland Conservation was presented at the Wetland Futures conference on 28 June.

The Marsh Award for Wetland Conservation is part of a portfolio of awards run by the Marsh Christian Trust www.marshchristiantrust.org

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