In 1988 the Nature Conservancy Council (a predecessor of Natural England) and ICI laid the foundations for the formation of a unique partnership to address the challenge of balancing the needs of industry and nature conservation on a heavily industrialised Teesside.

INCA was born on Teesside in 1989 led by ICI and supported by local authorities, the CBI and other industrial partners. Still flourishing, INCA has demonstrated the benefit of having an independent organisation facilitating the integration of business development and nature conservation.

Since its inception INCA’s significant achievements include:

• Recreating 11 ha of mudflats and 5.5ha of scarce saline lagoon
• Conserving uncommon wetland habitats and plant communities
• Completing wildlife relocation projects
• Creating nesting areas for Common Tern and Avocets, and protecting the nesting area for Little Terns
• Advising on minimising the ecological impact of developments
• Building biodiversity gains into new developments
• Developing and maintaining ecological and ecotoxicological databases which are used by our members
• Co-ordinating many projects and plans (including Tees Estuary Management plan and European Marine Site scheme)
• Producing State of the Natural Environment of the Tees Estuary reports