Welcome

Jack EllerbyChair of North West Rural Affairs Forum

Key Note

Peter AllenBoard Member of NWDA and Natural England

Forum

David HunterNWDA

Head of Rural Affairs

Background

• European Agricultural Funding 2007 - 2013

• UK Programme approved December 2007

• Programme delivered by three organisations– Natural England– Forestry Commission– RDAs

North West Regional Implementation Plan (RIP)

• Defra tasked each English Region with producing a Regional Implementation Plan – used to inform UK submission to EU

• NW Plan produced by NWDA with Forestry Commission, Natural England and GONW

• Priorities for the Region identified from RES, NW Forest Framework and Natural England's Strategic Objectives

• Delivery of RIP overseen by Regional Co-ordinating Group

Key Priorities

• Making agriculture & forestry more competitive & sustainable

• Conserving and enhancing the environment & countryside

• Enhancing opportunity & quality of life in rural areas

• Developing skills, knowledge transfer and capacity building

Funding levels in the North West

• Axis I - approx £38 million (10% of programme to be delivered by NWDA)

• Axis II – approx £300m (80% or programme to be delivered by Natural England and Forestry Commission

• Axis III - £37 million (10% of programme to be delivered by NWDA)

• Axis IV – approximately £25 million will be delivered via Leader approach (monies coming out of I and III above)

RDPE and NWDA in North West• NWDA has worked with 5 sub-regional rural partnerships

(SRPs) to develop sub-regional implementation plans

• Five SRPs are as follows:– ICEP, Merseyside– Manchester Enterprises– Lancashire Economic Partnership– Cheshire and Warrington Rural partnership– Cumbria Partners (including Cumbria Vision and Cumbria

County Council)

• Strategies reflect the North West Regional Implementation Plan (RIP)

How will the NWDA deliver RDPE

• The Leader Approach (axis IV)

- Activities competitively contracted by NWDA based on priorities identified in sub-regional RDPE implementation plans

The Leader Approach – Axis IV

• Local “bottom-up” approach to development involving all key players coming together to form a Local Action Group (LAG)

• Open and transparent selection process to select LAGs – 2 stage process with Expression of Interest and Local Development Strategy

• Regional Selection Panel

The Leader Approach Axis IV• Local Development Strategies (LDS) have been

agreed for 2 LAGs in Cumbria

- Fells & Dales

- Solway Border and Eden

• Approximately £7M each

The Leader Approach Axis IV• 4 other LAGS have been invited to progress to 2nd

LDS stage

- West Lancashire

- North Lancashire £7.7M

- Pennine Lancashire

- Merseyside ICEP LAG £1.9M

• Deadline for submission 4pm on the 30th August 08

The Cross Border Leader Approach Axis IV

Northern MarchesNorthern Marches with Advantage West Midlands (AWM) covering part of Cheshire;

Pennine ProspectsPennine Prospects with Yorkshire Forward (YF) covering part of Greater Manchester.

Directly Contracted Projects

Regional Projects

- Livestock Programme

- Business Planning support

Sub-Regional Projects

- Remaining area of Cheshire

- Gt Manchester

Livestock Programme

Aims of the programme:

i) improving competitiveness of livestock sector

ii) assist farmers meet their changing responsibilities to improve Animal Health & Welfare

iii) support farmers to enhance the efficiency of on-farm management of nutrients

Programme was developed by a Regional Stakeholder Group made up of:

NFU, GONW, EA, AHA, NE and managed by ADAS, Currently seeking applications from organisations to deliver a

programme of activity advertised on NWDA web-site

Working with Business Link

- All business support elements will be accessed through Business Link

- Currently developing a programme to provide Business Planning support to - Agricultural Businesses & non-Agricultural rural

small Businesses

Summary of RDPE

•

Sub-region Delivery Method Local Action Groups

Cumbria Using the Leader approach (£15.5m) Fells & DalesSolway Border & Eden

Lancashire All expected to use the Leader approach (£7.7m)

North LancsPennine Lancs West Lancs

Cheshire Partially using the Leader approachPart direct contract( £5.5m)

Northern Marches

Gt Merseyside Using the Leader approach (£1.9m) Merseyside ICEP

Gt Manchester Partially using the Leader approach (£2.7M)

Part direct contract

Pennine Prospects

Regional Direct Contract.

E.g: NW Livestock Programme (£20m)

Remainder of programme dedicated to delivering under Axis III

And finally• To see what each of the sub-regions are

planning in detail, all Sub Regional Implementation Plans are available on

www.nwda.co.uk/RDPE

Kevin MayForestry Commission

Grants, Regulations & Partnership Manager Forum

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EWGS Introduction

- National context

- Regional Delivery in North West England

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National Context

Policy• Strategy for England’s Trees, Woods and

ForestsResource• DEFRA Spending Review SettlementsDelivery

• Grant Support - axis 2

• Regulations - felling licences, EIA’s

• Partnerships - axes 1 and 3

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Trees, Woods and Forests for Public Benefits

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English Woodland Grant Scheme

Woodland Category Grant Type What the grant is for

• Stewardship of existing woodlands Woodland Planning Grant (WPG) Preparation of plans that both assist with management of the woodland and meet the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.

• Woodland Assessment Grant (WAG) Gathering of information to improve management decisions.

• Woodland Regeneration Grant (WRG) Supporting desirable change in woodland composition through natural regeneration and restocking after felling.

• Woodland Improvement Grant (WIG) Work in woodlands to create, enhance and sustain public benefits.

• Woodland Management Grant (WMG) Contribution to additional costs of providing and sustaining higher-quality public benefits from existing woodlands.

• Creation of new woodlands Woodland Creation Grant (WCG) Encouraging the creation of new woodlands where they deliver the greatest public benefits, including annual Farm Woodland Payments to compensate for agricultural income forgone.

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National Grant FundsWGS

(Creation)13%

WGS(Stewardship)

29%

EWGS (Stewardship)

28%

EWGS(Creation)

30%

Total England funding c £20m

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What This Means Locally

Interpretation in North West England

• Regional Forestry Framework

• Available resources

• Allocation • Grants

• Partnerships

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The Northwest Framework has 6 Action Areas:

• Biodiversity and landscape• Regional image• Enterprise and industry• Health, well-being and quality of life• Climate change and energy• Supporting and resourcing the sector

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Funding

North West England funding

£1.7mEWGS (Stewardship)

24%

WGS (Stewardship)

26%

EWGS (Creation)

40%

WGS (Creation)

10%

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Regional Grant Prospectus

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• Woodland Creation Grant• Scoring System to deliver max public benefit• Grant rate encourages new native woodland• Regional targeting to deliver locally important issues e.g.

• new native woodland on sensitive water catchments eg Bassenthwaite• new woodlands within areas of social/health deprivation• New woods which extend existing ancient woodlands

Grants (1)

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Woodland Creation Grant

• Supporting new native woodland

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Woodland Creation Grant

• Creation Grant - Screening

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Stewardship Grants

• WAG Assessment/survey work• WPG Planning work

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Woodland Regeneration Grants

• Purpose • One of the greatest opportunities to change a woodland is when felled areas

are regenerated, whether by planting or by natural seeding. This can improve both the woodland's delivery of benefits to the public and its capacity for sustainable management. Woodland Regeneration Grant (WRG) contributes to the costs of making changes to the composition of woodland within the normal cycle of felling and woodland regeneration.

• Aims • The objective of Woodland Regeneration Grant is to support desirable change

and an increase in a woodland’s capacity for sustainable management, arising from timely felling and appropriate regeneration.

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Woodland Regeneration Grant

• Supporting change in existing woodlands

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Woodland Regeneration Grant

• 30% of Funds “ring fenced” for restoring Ancient Woodlands…

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Woodland Management Grant

• Purpose • Woodland Management Grant (WMG) aims to encourage low key, sustainable

woodland practice. It is designed to protect the delivery of existing benefits to the public and improve the capacity of the woodland to increase these.

• The objectives of WMG are to: contribute to the additional costs of providing public benefits that arise from

meeting the UK Forestry Standard for sustainable woodland management

protect, increase and maintain the area of woodland under sustainable management and

identify and address threats to woodland, prevent decline and increase the capacity for sustainable management.

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Woodland Improvement Grant

• Purpose • Woodland Improvement Grant (WIG) funds capital investment in woodlands, over an

agreed period, to create, enhance and sustain an increase in the quantity and quality of public benefits delivered.

• It is aligned with Defra’s Agri-environment Environmental Stewardship Higher Level Scheme (HLS).

• Types of WIG funds: Woodland Biodiversity Action Plan (including a specific measure for Red squirrels)

Woodland Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Condition Improvement

Woodland Access

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Improvement Grant/Management Grant

• Capital Support for Access Improvements• Annual Support for Maintenance

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Woodland Improvement Grant

• Improvement grants to reduce browsing on coppice re-growth

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Partnerships• RDPE Partners e.g.

• North West Development Agency - supporting Newlands

• Natural England - supporting woodland SSSI recovery

Partnerships

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• Support for Woodland Initiatives :

Cumbria Woodlands, Lancashire Woodland Project, East Cumbria Countryside Project

• Projects • Woodfuel

Partnerships

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Wood Fuel

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Questions…

Neil ClarkNatural England

Cumbria Area Manager

Natural England : Our Role

A Healthy Natural Environment

• 29% of our region is designated as protected landscapes , with 11% and 18% by area for

AONB and National Parks respectively. • The Lake District is the largest of England’s

national parks covering 229,159 ha. • There are 187 SSSIs designated for their

geodiversity features. • Almost 35% of all English common land is in

the North West. • Many rivers and estuaries are of international

importance . • The North West has the largest area of wetlands of all regions (almost 23% of

England’s wetlands by area), dominated by blanket bog (62%) which forms peat

landscapes in wet areas. Lowland raised bogs, which represent almost 56% of England’s

resource by area

HLS Targeting

Overview of target Area Derivation

Key Issues:

• 3.8 million annual budget

• 80% of funds will be spent in target areas

Cheshire Meres & Mosses –

• Resource Protection – Cheshire mere and mosses (SSSIs affected by diffuse pollution)

• Biodiversity –Core theme across the different areas is the presence of a SSSI series of meres which as a whole form part of Cheshire Econet network of BAP habitats

• Historic Environment – Cheshire Sandstone Ridge JCA prevention of further deterioration of SAMs at risk (High proportion of SAMs at risk: 51% of SAMs at High or Medium risk)

• Access: Regionally identified as a priority area for improving access linked both to greenspace and links to CRoW Open Access land not currently accessible

Orton Limestones –

• Biodiversity: Extensive network of SSSI, SAC and BAP Calcareous habitats including limestone pavement, heathland, grasslands, and fens. Also upland hay meadows, inbye waders and twite.

.• Resource Protection: CSF

catchment with need for RP options along Eden headwater watercourses.

• Historics: Important network of sites associated with the low pass from the Eden to the Lune valleys between the High fells and the Howgills.

• Landscape: Distinctive landscape recognised as being worthy of designation

Eden Limestone Project• Issues

– The designated sites are in poor conservation status owing to sheep grazing regime which results in areas of either over- or under-grazed vegetation.

• Solution– Natural England identified this area as a priority for HLS as part the

targeting exercise.– A geographical and project style approach to the application of the Higher

Level Scheme of Environmental Stewardship.– Modification of current grazing regimes centred on the introduction of hardy

cattle breeds whose grazing is less selective.• Partnership

– For the project to be successful, we need to ensure that it is economically viable.

– We are undertaking an economic appraisal of farms to ensure the Environmental Stewardship package will be sufficient to support the change to the farming practice.

– Close liaison with Leader will allow the project to exploit all 3 Axis of RDPE.• This could fund marketing and promotion of the local beef that would

be produced as well as help make the links between food, farming and the environment.

Natural England : Our RoleEnjoyment of the

natural environment

• Annually there were 22 million visits to the Lake District National Park.

• 17.7% of our region has open access, compared with 6.5% for England overall, with the largest

areas in the uplands and commons. • The Pennine Bridleway Way National Trail

provides 382 km of purpose built trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders and new link routes to

large centres of populations are providing access opportunities for a greater number of people.

• The North West has 118 Local Nature ReservesThe region has 26 Doorstep Greens and 35

Millennium Greens and 43 Country parks which provide opportunities for people to use green

space close to where they live. • Health inequalities are most concentrated in the areas of most social deprivation and in the North

West this also equates to areas of poor environmental quality.

Vision : Peatlands for PeopleTo restore, promote and enhance the wetland sites and habitats of the South Solway, as an integral part of a fully functioning landscape that contributes to the environmental, cultural, social and economic well-being of the area, its people and its visitors.

Location

Landscape Partnership

‘The development, promotion and restoration of existing wetland assets can only realistically be achieved through a coordinated partnership approach, and at the landscape scale.’

Forecast Outputs

• Secure 1354 ha’s of SAC / SSSI in favourable or recovering condition;• £329,000 pax income to local economy;• Lock up 11,200 tonnes of CO2 pax (8.27 tonnes pax for each additional

hectare);• Safeguard 2.5 FTE jobs;• Create 100 sq m new workspace;• Investment of £461,500 in new tourism facilities;• Additional 17,000 visits to South Solway Mosses each year - £117,200 /

1.9 FTE;• Support 11 rural tourism businesses.

Natural England : Our RoleSustainable use of

the natural environment

Agri-environment are a key mechanism used by Natural England to secure a range of

outcomes. These schemes cover well over half the region’s land area. The region has been

heavily involved in developing a new approach to targeting the schemes. We will promote

ELS, HLS and ‘sustainable farming’ through the developing Land Management Advice Service and land management teams. In addition we will continue to support integrated land use

projects.

Natural England : Our RoleA secure

environmental futureIn the face of external impacts such as climate

change, development pressures and agricultural change, we will make concerted efforts to ensure that ecosystems are healthy in order to maximise

species and habitat resilience, whilst also providing socio-economic benefits.

We will engage our partners in developing an Uplands Vision for the Lake District and share our

knowledge on climate change adaptation strategies based on the Cumbria High Fells JCA pilot for a secure environmental future for the

North West.We will work closely with partners on the

implementation of the North West Climate Change Action Plan

Lake District High Fells

• Biodiversity: An extremely rich area with an suite of SSSI and SAC’s including upland, woodland and wetland habitats, many of them linked.

• Historics: A strong network of sites linked to the National Park designation

• Resource Protection: CSF catchments with need for RP options in Bassenthwiate Lake catchment and Eden headwater watercourses.

• Landscape: Maintenance of the rich cultural landscape of the Lake District National Park

• Climate Change: Nationally important area for carbon sequestration

Panel Discussion- Q&A─ Jack Ellerby

─ David Hunter

─ Kevin May

─ Neil Clark