CASH raised from rubbish is being used to give the gift of life to a globally-endangered species.

Work to safeguard the last remaining population of freshwater pearl mussels in Yorkshire has been given a helping hand in the shape of a £300,000 grant from Biffa Award.

The River Esk on the North York Moors is the only one in the region that is still home to the species but the population is in drastic decline.

There are believed to be about 1,000 left but pollution and sediment build-up, together with decline in fish populations and habitat degradation, are seeing their numbers dwindle.

But a project led by the Freshwater Biological Association is determined to reverse the decline and sharing knowledge and best practice with landowners, the local community and other conservation groups is a key element.

In addition, volunteer groups and angling clubs will take part in monitoring and restoration work, including the planting of trees along the river bank, removing non-native invasive species such as Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam and sampling invertebrate life throughout the river.

The funding will also help sponsor a Master of Research degree at Durham University, which will look at water quality throughout the catchment area.

The National Park’s Esk project officer Simon Hirst said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for people from a number of different backgrounds to get involved in the conservation of a rare and valuable species.

“They may not be cute and cuddly but freshwater pearl mussel is an important indicator species - if we get conditions right for them, it will have positive knock on benefits for a range of other wildlife such as otters, Atlantic salmon, dippers and kingfishers.”

As well as working with farmers to reduce sediment and nutrient input into the Esk, the project will focus on improving the reproductive success of the mussels through the FBA’s captive breeding programme.

The Biffa Award’s programme manager, Gillian French, said: “This project is an exciting opportunity to save one of the most long-lived animals from extinction. The freshwater pearl mussel can live for more than 100 years and is internationally protected.”

Biffa Award, funded through landfill tax, is a multi-million pound fund to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to community and environmental projects across the UK.