Cheshire’s local nature recovery strategy
a national plan to reclaim, restore and rewet a mosaic of wetland habitats.
the challenge
In July 2023 it was announced that six new landscape-scale nature recovery projects would launch across the UK as part of a £7.4 million nature recovery project supported by Defra and Natural England. The multi-partnership collaborative projects which cover 176,000 hectares of land across England, have been launched to create improved and better-connected habitats for wildlife and improve public access to nature.
For Cheshire West and Chester Council, January 2024 saw the launch of ‘The Lost Wetlands’ project - which extends over 5,000ha and involves a network of wetland habitats - previously lost to historic industrialisation, urbanisation and agricultural intensification of the landscape. The Cheshire West and Chester Council team recognised the importance of investing in early stakeholder engagement during the launch of this ten-year plan and therefore sought a custom-made animation to tell this ambitious story.
the approach
We worked closely with the Green Infrastructure Team at Cheshire West and Chester Council to turn their supplied script into a one-of-a-kind, long-form campaign launch animation brought to life with scripted voice over narration, sounds of nature and a fitting, supportive music track.
In early conversations we understood that it was a priority to produce bespoke visuals, designed with care to remain intentionally faithful to the featured Cheshire wildlife and locations, which is why we proposed hand-drawn designs for this animation project.
Whilst these kinds of hand-drawn designs call for a more complex and lengthily approach to animation; with careful planning, communication and collaboration from storyboard through to delivery we were able to successfully deliver this nature recovery animation ahead of the programme launch date.
the results
As a team committed to inspiring positive change with our creativity, this incredible nature recovery project is one that we’ve truly been both professionally and personally excited to be a part of.
To date, the project has been shared by Cheshire West and Chester Council as well as The Cheshire Wildlife Trust, attracting a wide range of wildlife pledges and survey results.
Of the projects, Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:
“These nature recovery projects will enrich our landscapes for wildlife, develop resilience to climate change, catch carbon and help to clean up air and water. They will help restore entire ecosystems, allowing many species of wild animals and plants to spread and thrive. They will also enhance the opportunities people have to make the most of the wellbeing benefits that come with connecting to the natural world.”
unique.
Our bespoke animation is created from over 50 individual, hand-drawn designs
recognisable.
Featuring animals and scenes carefully selected to represent the cheshire region
authentic.
Supported by representatives from Natural England and the Peaks to validate the finer details
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