Heritage Lottery Funded Project Underway

16th October 2007

Cornwall Wildlife Trust launches its new ‘Discovering the Wonders of Looe’s Marine Heritage’ project with the appointment of Marine Education Officer Abigail Crosby.  This project aims to work with the local community, visitors and schools in the Looe area to inform and engage them in the value of the marine environment and to improve awareness of our impacts upon it.

This project provides a perfect opportunity to investigate our marine environment and is being made possible because of a grant awarded to the Trust by the Heritage Lottery Fund.  The grant will enable The Discovering the Wonders of Looe’s Marine Heritage project to utilise Looe’s Voluntary Marine Conservation Area (VMCA), which was established in 1995.  We will be gaining access to the rich and diverse marine, littoral and coastal habitats by way of inspiring and educating visitors, students and the community.

Abigail Crosby, Marine Education Officer for the Trust said, “We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has enabled this work to take place.  Looe is home to a wealth of incredible marine life, from basking sharks and bottlenose dolphins offshore, to an abundance of crabs, anemones and other invertebrates on the rocky reefs.  St George’s Island [owned by the Trust] is within the VMCA and is a County Wildlife Site with a range of coastal habitats.”

“Our ambition is that this project will involve local residents and users of the VMCA.  In doing so, we aim to nurture local responsibility for the wellbeing of the marine environment and appreciation of its importance as a wildlife, and an economic, resource.”

The project will deliver a programme of school visits, community workshops, guided walks, Seashore Safaris and a range of similar events based around the VMCA, starting with a public Rockpool Ramble at Hannafore Point, West Looe, on Monday 29th October at 12.30pm.  This is open to members of the public.  This is a free event, just turn up on the day.

For further information or any questions on how to get involved please contact Abigail Crosby on 07966 517531 or email at abby@cornwt.demon.co.uk

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