River Esk Connect (REConnect) • Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership • YMNP

What is REConnect?

REConnect is a community engagement project funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, based around the River Esk and its coastal streams that lead out into the North Sea.

Working with our partners, the project’s goal is to ‘REConnect’ people to the beauty of the Esk and its surrounding landscape, creating a deeper bond with nature. Through this project, we also want to help people understand the impact of climate change and human activity, empowering them through practical hands-on opportunities that promote skill development and meaningful action for the future.

Get involved!

We’re leading the coastal and marine elements of the project and we need your help! Whether you are an experienced naturalist or new to exploring the natural world, we are hosting a variety of activities, events and citizen science opportunities for the whole community to get involved with.

Your time and contribution to our events allows us to increase our capacity and impact for marine conservation. They say that knowledge is power – and with help from individuals, groups and communities, we can gather greater amounts of data and contribute to meaningful action that has the potential to influence real change where it matters.

Scientific data gathered through this project will be added to both national and regional recording programmes, used by local decision-makers to understand changes in our coastal environments, and help us to explain these changes to people who live and work along our wonderful coastline.

See all of our events on Eventbrite

Rockpool surveys

Help us discover wildlife living beneath the waves. During low tide, we will explore, find and record the flora and fauna living within the turbulent intertidal zone. Taking place at various coastal locations, this data will provide a valuable baseline for what is inhabiting our coastline.

Strandline surveys

Fancy keeping your feet dry? Take a walk with us along the upper and lower strandlines in search of washed-up marine debris – and discover clues to what may be living offshore. We will record everything from shells to shark egg cases, providing a valuable insight to what is living within the deeper depths of the North Sea.

Beach Cleans

Care for the coast by joining a litter pick event. As well as enjoying a stroll along the local beach, you will help us collect and identify any rubbish we find along the way. Much of our litter ends up in the sea, causing harm to habitats and wildlife – but taking part in a litter pick goes a long way to helping protect them.

Creative Workshops

Throughout the project period we will be hosting creative workshops within local communities to explore nature through artistic interpretation. Adopting skills and techniques in variety of mediums, the resulting artworks could end up displayed in public and community galleries or inspiring the design of new coastal enhancements as part of our Concrete Coast project.

Become a Coastal Ranger

For those that prefer to delve a little deeper, why not volunteer to conduct regular surveys with us? Suitable for those aged 16+, we will look more in-depth at our survey sites, adopt more precise methods and get a bit more technical. Whether you are already a skilled naturalist or would simply like to join a calmer, slower paced group, we will support you to develop skills for species ID and data collection.

Migratory Fish

The estuary is the gateway to the ocean, and many species rely on this movement between the rivers and sea to complete their lifecycle. We are keen to hear stories of these journeys; from local anglers and fishers to those who have revelled in witnessing the salmon runs. Through spoken word, poetry, photography or video… allow us the opportunity to share your story and observations, helping influence change for their survival.

Our recent events

Our partners

The REConnect Programme is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and led by North York Moors National Park Authority in collaboration with Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership, Groundwork NE & Cumbria, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Whitby, Scarborough and Ryedale Disability Action Group, and York St John University.