Funding to increase wildlife on Tidal Thames

Thames21 has received £92,137 from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to increase wildlife habitats on the River Thames in London.

Thames21 works across London's rivers and canals and will use the funding to run a two year project called Project Habitat to research and trial ways to improve biodiversity on the Tidal Thames.

The charity will focus on Central London where necessary flood defenses like vertical concrete and sheet piled walls mean that plants and animals find it extremely difficult to establish natural habitats.

Debbie Leach, Chief Executive for Thames21 said, 'We are delighted to have received funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to research and trial ways of boosting biodiversity on the River Thames. This is a challenging environment in which to create and restore habitats and part of Project Habitat's remit is a focus on species at risk on the Tidal Thames including the Tentacled Lagoon Worm which is now extremely rare due to loss of habitat.'

A researcher will be in post by January 2007 and will initially focus on drawing together existing but disparate knowledge of enhancing habitats on the River Thames.

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Media enquiries Leigh McAlea at Thames21 020 7213 0166 / 07875 250 284
Notes to Editors:

1. Thames21 is an environmental charity working to bring London's waterways to life. www.thames21.org.uk

2. Project Habitat has received £92,137 funding from Esmée Fairbairn over two year. The research will complement Thames21's ongoing habitat work led by its Habitat Enhancement Coordinator.

3. Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is one of the largest independent grantmaking foundations in the UK. In 2006 it expects to make grants of £29 million, divided between its four programmes as follows: Arts & Heritage £5.9, Education £5.9m, Environment £5.9m and Social Change: Enterprise and Independence £9.1m. http://www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk/