A 10 mile "nature recovery corridor" is to be created in Cheshire, restoring wetlands, traditional orchards, hedgerows, grasslands and wildflower meadows across the UK county.

The nature recovery corridor - which will stretch from Chester to Ellesmere Port - will see Chester Zoo, in collaboration with partners across the region, restore a network of wildlife-rich habitat and contribute to the recovery of severely declining species in need of urgent help.

The first phase of the project, focussed on a 6.5 mile stretch running from the zoo's nature reserve through Chester city centre to Lache in the south west of the city, has been awarded a £990,500 grant from the Government's £40 million second round of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

Dr Simon Dowell, Science Director at Chester Zoo, said: "Chester Zoo is making transformative change to prevent extinction. Our new Nature Recovery Corridor will empower people to create safe spaces for UK wildlife, through collaboration and action.

"This grant will enable us to create more environmental jobs, demonstrating the value of green recovery in Cheshire, nurture a new generation of conservationists through funded traineeships, and allow wide-ranging local communities to connect with, and enjoy, wildlife.

"As the world faces a biodiversity crisis, the role of large charity zoos like ours in securing a future for wildlife on our planet is ever more vital. With one million species at risk of extinction, including many here in the UK, never has there been a more pressing time to stand together for nature."

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine's Chief. She writes about lifestyles including sustainable and green living