FEATURE
Collaboration – the strategy is about building a future that works for industry, for communities and for the Tees Valley as a whole.
From mitigation to meaningful coordination Part of phase one of the Protected Site Strategy has focused on structured industry engagement across the Tees Estuary. A series of sessions this spring has brought together industry, regulators, local authorities and environmental organisations to explore pressures, risk and opportunity at a system scale. While these sessions are now underway, they mark the beginning of a longer-term coordinated approach.
Alongside the engagement programme, a series of practical workshops will take place across the estuary – offering first-hand experience of ongoing work, including eel monitoring, seagrass nursery development and harbour seal ecology. These sessions connect strategic discussion to real-world delivery.
Rather than relying on short-term or piecemeal mitigation, the Tees Estuary Nature Recovery Partnership is developing a coordinated portfolio of investable projects across the estuary. These include habitat creation and longterm management, improved access and education, skills development and stewardship programmes that can be delivered at scale.
For businesses, this creates the opportunity to:
Conservation – ongoing environmental work includes eel monitoring, seagrass nursery development and harbour seal ecology.
> Engage early and strategically > Align environmental investment with ESG and net-zero commitments > Support place-making and workforce attraction > Demonstrate leadership through visible local impact
Confidence for investors, clarity for delivery Businesses need certainty. Investors need clarity. The Protected Site Strategy provides both.
Setting out a shared framework for how protected sites are managed alongside development reduces risk, avoids duplication and enables coordinated action. It offers confidence that environmental requirements are understood, planned for and deliverable – now and over the long term.
The findings from phase one will be brought together in April at Securing the Tees, a final event presenting outcomes, priorities and the proposed pathway for phase two delivery.
For a region positioning itself as a global leader in green energy and infrastructure, this credibility is essential. Environmental performance, community confidence and economic ambition must align.
Shaping the Tees Valley’ s next chapter The Tees Valley has always been a place of innovation and production. The Protected Site Strategy allows that legacy to evolve – not by moving away from industry, but by futureproofing it through stronger natural assets and more resilient places.
Led by Natural England and delivered locally through the Tees Valley Nature Partnership, this work represents a mature, pragmatic approach to growth: one that recognises that a thriving economy and a healthy environment are inseparable.
Cara Courage, principal officer for sustainable development for Natural England Northumbria, said:“ We are pleased to be working with the Tees Valley Nature Partnership to engage with local communities.
“ The Protected Site Strategy is a significant opportunity to bring people, place, business and nature closer together, enabling growth, improved health, and nature’ s recovery across the Tees Estuary.”
For businesses already investing in the Tees Valley – and those considering it – the Protected Site Strategy offers a practical route to lead, partner and help shape the region’ s next phase of growth.
This is not just about protecting what matters. It’ s about building a future that works – for industry, for communities and for the Tees Valley as a whole.
If you are interested in the practical workshops or would like to attend the Securing the Tees event email emaciver @ teeswildlife. org for further information.
The voice of business in the Tees region | 111