Member Article

A vole-y important campaign win for Karol!

Leading North-East PR agency, Karol Marketing, has been appointed by Durham Wildlife Trust to develop an education and engagement strategy to help safeguard the water vole.

A National Lottery Heritage Funded initiative, Naturally Native aims to save the water vole, one of Britain’s most charismatic mammals, from extinction in the North East of England.

The project is being delivered as a partnership between Durham, Northumberland and Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and will seek to tackle the two major causes of water vole decline: habitat fragmentation and predation by the non-native American mink.

Karol Marketing’s appointment will see it develop an effective education and public engagement programme for Durham Wildlife Trust, with a particular focus on reaching 14-25 year olds, those working in secondary education and harder to reach demographics. The delivery phase of the activity will begin in 2020.

Kirsty Pollard, Naturally Native Development Manager, Durham Wildlife Trust commented: “In recent years the water vole has suffered a dramatic decline in numbers and is now all but extinct in our region with only a few remaining strongholds. Without intervention it will be lost forever.

“The Naturally Native project is intended to help tackle the causes of water vole decline and we’re delighted to have Karol Marketing on board. Their proven track-record of working with organisations on major public engagement programmes, and engaging harder to reach audience groups in particular, will be invaluable as we move forwards with the project.”

Karol’s founder and managing director Stefan Lepkowski commented, “The conservation work that Durham Wildlife Trust undertake, managing nature reserves, running conservation projects, or delivering environmental education activities has a genuine impact on the survival of our natural habitats and the quality of our lives in the North East.

“Without projects such as Naturally Native, natural habitats and species, including the water vole will be lost from our countryside forever. That’s why our appointment to develop an education and engagement strategy aimed at winning support for, and appreciation of, our fluffy waterside friends is, for me, a tremendous privilege.”

Karol Marketing is one of the most awarded public relations and marketing agencies in the North East of England. Based in the heart of Newcastle’s creative quarter in the Ouseburn valley, Karol has previously provided advice on public engagement strategies for projects including the development of Newcastle Great Park, the regeneration of Walker Riverside and Darlington Borough Council’s sustainable transport initiative. The agency has a strong heritage in the outdoor industry and has delivered award-winning campaigns for clients including Vango, Ventile and Ordnance Survey.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Rodgers .