Nature recovery at the heart of the Tees
The Tees Estuary Nature Recovery Partnership aims to work collaboratively to restore nature for the benefit of wildlife and people. By 2050, the vision is for the Tees Estuary to be a landscape where nature, people and industry all thrive together, and where nature is fully integrated into daily life across work, leisure, education and community spaces.
The partnership seeks to enhance a diverse, dynamic and well connected landscape and seascape with increasing biodiversity, stronger species recovery and improved resilience to climate change. This work will also support community health and wellbeing through better access to nature and support sustainable development aligned with regional Net Zero ambitions.
Adding value
To achieve this, the partnership adds value to existing activity by connecting efforts, filling gaps and enabling a “bigger, better and more joinedup” approach. It provides a shared forum for collaboration, innovation and collective action across organisations.
Supporting regional strategies
The partnership will support key regional strategies, being a delivery mechanism for the Tees Valley Local Nature Recovery Strategy and helping co-develop solutions to pressures on protected sites through the Tees Protected Sites Strategy.
Landscape scale
The Tees Estuary Nature Recovery Partnership has been borne out of ongoing dialogue and conversation with organisations delivering nature recovery on the ground; with a focus on how a landscape-scale, collaborative approach to nature recovery could benefit not just organisations, but the Tees estuary itself.
Supported by DEFRA
Supported with research and development funding from DEFRA to start to deliver for people, place and nature at the Tees estuary, a recognition that a new version of an estuary partnership would strengthen the ability and the capacity to deliver nature recovery at scale.
Built on collaboration
There is a deep acknowledgement from partnership members that over the past two to three decades, long-term nature conservation and nature restoration work has taken place across the estuary, with the majority of NRP partners, alongside other organisations such as INCA, playing a significant role within this to achieve big wins for important estuarine habitats and species.
Adding value
To achieve this, the partnership adds value to existing activity by connecting efforts, filling gaps and enabling a “bigger, better and more joinedup” approach. It provides a shared forum for collaboration, innovation and collective action across organisations.
Supporting regional strategies
The partnership will support key regional strategies, being a delivery mechanism for the Tees Valley Local Nature Recovery Strategy and helping co-develop solutions to pressures on protected sites through the Tees Protected Sites Strategy.
Landscape scale
The Tees Estuary Nature Recovery Partnership has been borne out of ongoing dialogue and conversation with organisations delivering nature recovery on the ground; with a focus on how a landscape-scale, collaborative approach to nature recovery could benefit not just organisations, but the Tees estuary itself.
Supported by DEFRA
Supported with research and development funding from DEFRA to start to deliver for people, place and nature at the Tees estuary, a recognition that a new version of an estuary partnership would strengthen the ability and the capacity to deliver nature recovery at scale.
Built on collaboration
There is a deep acknowledgement from partnership members that over the past two to three decades, long-term nature conservation and nature restoration work has taken place across the estuary, with the majority of NRP partners, alongside other organisations such as INCA, playing a significant role within this to achieve big wins for important estuarine habitats and species.
The Partnership
Created and funded by Natural England as a Nature Recovery Project, our partnership was officially launched in August 2025 by Natural England’s CEO, Marian Spain. This landmark moment in the Tees Estuary’s environmental future facilitates organisations to pool their skills and expertise to join up nature recovery at landscape scale. Our vision is for the Tees Estuary to be known for its nature, people and industry – where all are thriving in equilibrium, and for nature to be part of every aspect of life for the people who live in, work in or visit the Tees.
As part of the Nature Recovery Network, connectivity is central to our work – reconnecting fragmented habitats, creating stepping stones for wildlife and improving access to nature for communities and visitors.
A Landscape of Contrasts
The Tees Estuary is a place like no other. Vibrant, full of character and rich with contrasts, it brings together bustling industry, thriving wildlife and proud coastal communities along the Northeast coast of England.
A Thriving Future Together
From tiny, rare spiders to hundreds of migrating birds and our much-loved seal colony, nature continues to thrive alongside people and industry—making the Tees Estuary a truly special place.
A Place of Innovation and Heritage
The Tees is also a place people call home: a landscape of coastal towns, workplaces, heritage landmarks and hidden cultural gems. Its industrial skyline is part of the region’s identity, telling stories of innovation, engineering and the birthplace of the world’s first passenger railway. Over the past 160 years, industry and development have reshaped much of the estuary, yet nature has held on.
What makes the Tees so special?
Driving the Nation’s Economy
For generations, the Tees has played a central role in Britain’s maritime and industrial story. Today, it remains one of the UK’s most important industrial areas and is helping to drive the nation’s transition to green energy. More than half of the UK’s gas and oil pipelines land here, and local industries produce a significant share of the nation’s petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals - all contributing to a thriving Tees Valley economy.
A Globally Significant Home for Wildlife
While industry has brought challenges, such as pressure on habitats and air and water quality, the estuary remains an incredibly important home for wildlife. Original habitats and remarkable species still exist, sometimes in surprising places, and some industrial sites have unintentionally created important refuges. Nationally and internationally significant bird populations, coastal and marine habitats, wetlands, grasslands, woodlands and even the iconic Tees seal colony can all be found here.
Tees Estuary Management
In delivering nature recovery that will benefit people, place and nature at the Tees estuary, the partnership has identified three key delivery objectives and a roadmap for action.
The partnership is committed to driving the delivery of a nature recovery network at the Tees Estuary. This work acts as a vital regional contribution to the UK government’s international pledge to protect 30% of our land and sea by 2030. By creating new habitats and restoring those already in existence, we are building a more joined up space for nature where wildlife can truly thrive. Our focus remains on improving the condition of designated sites, ensuring that degraded features move towards a favourable state while halting the decline in species abundance. Through the recovery of keystone and priority species identified in the Tees Valley Local Nature Recovery Strategy, we are strengthening our regional biodiversity.
We aim to deliver significant opportunities for green finance and investment within the natural environment of the Tees Estuary. This investment is essential for the long term sustainability of our nature recovery goals and the wider region. By improving water and air quality alongside our restoration efforts, we are creating a landscape that is increasingly resilient to the challenges of climate change. This strategic approach ensures that nature recovery supports regional economic ambitions while providing measurable benefits for the environment.
A core objective of our roadmap is to improve access to the natural world for everyone who lives in, works in, or visits the Tees Estuary. We recognise that a healthy environment and community wellbeing are deeply linked. By creating a more accessible and vibrant landscape, we are ensuring that nature recovery delivers tangible benefits for people as well as place. Our goal is to foster a deeper connection between our local communities and the unique coastal and estuarine habitats that make the Tees Valley so special.
Our Tees Estuary Nature Recovery Partners
At the heart of the Tees Estuary Nature Recovery Partnership is a conviction that landscape-scale restoration requires a collaborative approach, uniting industry, communities, and conservationists to create a resilient environment where nature and people thrive together. By acting as a shared forum for innovation and connecting ongoing, long-term conservation efforts, the partnership delivers a bigger, better, and more joined-up strategy to secure a sustainable future for the estuary.
