Heritage Strategy - Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

stockton-on-Tees <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong>
Tees <strong>Heritage</strong> Park Sunset
railways, the expansion of industry on the back of the coal
and iron ore of the region and a huge influx of people. The
river was straightened to speed up shipping and large areas
of marshland were reclaimed at the river mouth.
The landscape around us is continually changing as we
attempt to improve the quality of the countryside, access to
it and to create a balance between change that builds on
and preserves the best of the past while welcoming
innovation.
stockton’s natural heritage and
historic Landscapes
The natural and human processes described above have
created a Borough with a diverse range of landscapes and
some much loved and extremely valuable ‘natural’ habitats.
Ropner Park Bandstand
These include nationally important mudflats and saltmarsh
around the Tees Estuary to small patches of precious
wildlife habitat in the heart of our towns and villages.
In the countryside the patchwork of arable land, meadows,
woodlands and hedgerows provides many rich habitats for
wildlife. While the River Tees and its tributaries form a
natural network of green corridors, stretching from the
rural areas in the west and south, through our towns and
villages and out to the coast.
Many of these habitats are protected and managed as
nature reserves, country parks or Local Wildlife Sites.
Nationally important sites are designated as Sites of Special
Scientific Interest and the Borough also has one National
Nature Reserve at Teesmouth. The Borough also has
Registered Historic Parks and Gardens. Some of the key
sites are discussed in the following section.
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River Tees and Egglescliffe Church