This year we’re delighted to be back at the RAU for the first in-person forum we’ve held since 2019.

We hope to see many faces – old and new – joining us for an informative and enjoyable evening, looking at the future of farming in the Cotswolds at a time of great change.

We’re lining up some great speakers for 2023, covering four key themes:

• Arable – moving away from conventional systems and exploring alternative approaches
• Livestock – developing grazing systems that are both environmentally and economically sustainable
• Diversification – making the most of a growing demand for locally produced food
• Soil carbon – understanding your land’s potential what this could mean for your farm business

The speakers are all beneficiaries of Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes grant programme, which they’ve used to deliver projects supporting agricultural transition in the Cotswolds. We’re asking them to talk about the impact of these projects and how they support broader plans for the future.

We’ll gather over refreshments at 6.30pm before moving into the Parkinson Lecture Theatre where presentations will begin promptly at 7pm, followed by an audience Q&A session with our panel.

Details

• Tuesday 7 March 2023
• 6.30 – 9pm
• Parkinson Lecture Theatre, Royal Agricultural University Stroud Road Cirencester GL7 6JS
• Free parking
• View the RAU campus here (location 21).
• The event is aimed at farmers and land managers but anyone with an interest is welcome
• Tickets are free
• Reserve your spot now on Eventbrite

Our Speakers:

Henry Astor – Bruern Farms

Henry Astor runs a mixed arable and livestock farm in West Oxfordshire with a main focus on integrating biodiversity with sustainable farming practices. ‘Healthy soil, healthy food, healthy people!’ is the motto at Bruern Farms, which is transitioning from conventional cropping to growing heritage grains using restorative and regenerative methods. They follow conservation agricultural practices, with direct drilling, cover cropping and diverse rotation to help improve soils, reduce inputs and prevent the build-up of weeds, pests and diseases. They’re also part of the Cotswolds Grain Network, a group of bakers, farmers, brewers and researchers who want to re-imagine the grain economy in the Cotswolds, promoting heritage and non-commodity grains and direct distributing locally.

Henry applied for a FiPL grant towards the purchase of a grain mill and processing equipment, enabling the farm to make and sell flour directly to local markets. The grant also helped them buy a game larder for processing rare-breed meats and venison.

Rob Havard – Phepson Angus, and Matt Darby – Kemerton Estate

Rob is a sixth-generation farmer and professional ecologist that previously worked for Natural England as a conservation grazing lead advisor. He’s been using Holistic Management to inform his farming practice since 2014 and now integrates planned grazing on 1000+ acres of diverse pasture. Rob’s main focus is on the marriage of productivity and ecological gain. Using grazing techniques that are based on recreating natural processes allows Rob to grow fitter cattle for less money while leaving the land in a better state than when he found.

Rob requested a FiPL grant for various items to support management of their herd at the Kemerton Estate, including training and equipping a draft horse. Rob will be joined by Matt Darby who owns and manages the Kemerton Estate. Matt has a wealth of experience in nature conservation, farming and forestry, town planning, landscape history, and the charitable sector. He’s also a CNL Board member.

Lydia Handy and Liberty Nimmo – Homegrown at Hampen

Lydia Handy runs a 330-acre mixed farm, Lower Hampen Farm, with her husband, Clive. They share a love of wildlife and farm in a sustainable, regenerative way that supports both nature and food production. They’re also very effective networkers and collaborators, hosting numerous nature conservation and sustainable farming projects with different people and organisations, including FWAGSW and the CNL.

Lydia, a trained land agent with experience of running her own businesses, has diversified the farm’s product lines in various ways, including making items from their own wool, as well as candles and soap, for example. With support from FiPL, the farm recently set up a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) scheme in what was an awkward corner of an arable field, where they now grow and seasonal fruit, veg and flowers for sale to local residents. It’s become a real hub of the community and they’re already expanding the set up. Clive. Liberty Nimmo helps run the market garden and farm shop.

Tim Field – North East Cotswolds Farmer Cluster

Tim Field worked to found Agricology with the ORC and Allerton Project in 2014 to disseminate best practice and research on practical, sustainable farming. He is CEO of Carbon Quester, working with the Rothamsted Research Institute to develop an affordable, accurate soil carbon testing and modelling methodology. Tim is also facilitator of 125 farms across 82,500+ acres in the North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster (NECFC), who successfully bid to deliver a Landscape Recovery pilot project on the river Evenlode. With a background in biology and rural surveying, Tim has twenty years of experience in environmental management of farms, property, and the food supply chain.

Tim has helped members of the NECFC benefit from five successful FiPL applications to date. One of these involved soil carbon analysis and baseline mapping for 36 farms across 15,000 hectares, which has led to follow-up projects looking at farm carbon management and green finance opportunities that could be delivered at scale.

To find out more, please contact Scott Brown: scott.brown@cotswolds-nl.org.uk

We’re delighted to say that the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is being extended, offering additional funding and time for farmers and land managers in England’s National Parks and AONBs to deliver projects for climate, nature, people, and place.

The extension reflects the quality of the projects already being delivered on the ground. It’s excellent news and we’re really grateful to everyone that has taken part and helped build a programme that is so well regarded.

“In recognition of the positive feedback and outcomes delivered by FIPL, we will be extending the programme with £10m additional funding each year until March 2025. This will enable us to continue to support the important role that protected landscapes play in delivering our commitments. We will continue to learn from FiPL and work to ensure the best concepts of FiPL are integrated within future environmental land management schemes within Protected Landscapes.”
– Extract taken from the Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 (page 254).

It’s not too late to get involved.

We are awaiting confirmation of the precise level of extra funding available in the Cotswolds. Prior to this announcement, we had around £300k remaining to be allocated and spent by March 2024, with a very strong pipeline of applications in development. We’re now expecting a significant uplift to this figure for financial year 2023/24, plus additional funds for 2024/25. The extension and extra funding will open things up to many more applicants.

Grants are available from £2,500 to £250,000 for a wide variety of farmer-led projects that will deliver outcomes for climate, nature, people and/or place. This may include:

• Developing better data, knowledge and skills
• Purchasing new equipment and upgrading farm infrastructure
• Carrying out land management activities
• Running projects and events for other farmers and the public

We take a flexible and bottom-up approach, aiming to support projects that have been proposed by farmers and land managers. Just tell us what you’d like to do. If it’s eligible, we’ll pair you with one of our Engagement Officers who will:

• Offer advice and guidance, helping you develop a strong proposal
• Arrange a site visit (if necessary)
• Guide you through the application process, including costings
• Review drafts and provide feedback on applications prior to assessment
• Present you proposal to our local assessment panel (meets every 6-8 weeks)

For more details and examples of supported projects, please visit our website page.

To discuss your project ideas and request an application form:

Email: farming@cotwoldsaonb.org.uk

Call Scott Brown, Farming Engagement Lead: 07841 663 601

Image: An artist’s impression of the scheme shows plans for the Gloucestershire Way crossing

Joint statement from Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, National Trust, and Cotswolds National Landscape

We note the decision has been made to move ahead with the A417 ‘Missing Link’ road scheme, addressing long standing traffic and safety concerns.

Cotswolds National Landscape, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the National Trust have worked collaboratively to help National Highways move towards a genuinely landscape-led road scheme that can deliver a lasting, beneficial legacy for the Cotswolds landscape, its wildlife, people and history.

Our engagement has resulted in positive changes and, whilst we recognise efforts from National Highways to improve protections for wildlife, we remain disappointed that the scheme will not deliver overall biodiversity net gain.

We are passionate about our role in protecting the natural beauty, diverse wildlife and unique heritage of this important landscape. We will continue to engage with National Highways to ensure the protections set out in the planning application (DCO) are delivered, and to identify additional opportunities to improve the outcomes for nature and people.

The Power of Art experimental research installation by Squidsoup, Cotswolds, 2022. ©Russell Sach

Sir Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England and Philip Hygate, chair of the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NAAONB), have today signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding. It represents their commitments to working together to nurture new links between arts and cultural organisations, and England’s 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

Working in partnership under this Memorandum of Understanding means both organisations deliver on their own priorities, underpinned by joint ambitions to see more people engaging with culture and landscape, promoting opportunities, prosperity and wellbeing for rural communities, and contributing to conversations around tackling the climate emergency.

For years, AONB teams around the country have commissioned or partnered on awe-inspiring art installations and activities, and the Memorandum symbolises a step change in their commitment to partnering with culture organisations to develop high-quality, ambitious art that will reach and move people and communities across England.

In the Cotswolds, we are delighted to be collaborating with Squidsoup on The Power of Art – an experimental light installation – exploring technology, energy, and a sense of place.

The Power of Art is being funded by Stockton International Riverside Festival, and Arts Council England. Working with industry partner, Cleevely, this experiment will explore ways to power large scale light works off-grid with renewable energy. Cleevely have provided electric car batteries which have reached end-of-life status in vehicles, but could still have a use elsewhere.

Power has always been a precious commodity, and in 2022, events made this point clearer than it has been for decades. This project explores ways for renewable energy to be harnessed to power digital artworks like these, and in so doing, freeing them from previous constraints.

The Power of Art has been temporarily installed in a secret woodland location in the Cotswolds. Fifty illuminated orbs are powered by energy harvested through solar panels charging two second hand electric car batteries. The trial, testing the sustainability of the saved energy, uses a twelve minute performance cycle of pulses and glows set to a soundtrack, in order to see how long the work can sustain itself, to explore the feasibility of larger energy-saving installations, and to assess the reduction of power leakage in the conversion from kilowatt to dc voltage.

The Board of the Cotswolds National Landscape has signalled its commitment to creating greater links with arts organisations by endorsing the AONB Network’s Art in the Landscape Strategy. We are excited to see how this work develops nationally and locally over the coming years and we will be building greater links with our local cultural organisations.

The signing is hosted by Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership at Samphire Hoe Nature Reserve, as part of AONB’s Salt + EARTH: Festival of Landscape, Seascape and the Environment. The festival will see artists, creatives and scientists explore everything from geography to geology, sounds to sculptures, food to Deep Time. The festival is an exemplar of how when art, science and landscape come together, our understanding is deepened, but more importantly, our enjoyment and curiosity is fired.

Sir Nicholas Serota, chair of Arts Council England said: “The natural environment has inspired artists and writers through the ages. Today, awareness of our environment feeds our imagination, greatly benefits our wellbeing, and broadens our understanding of the climate challenges we face.

“Today’s signing represents further ambitions to deepen our appreciation and engagement with England’s rural landscapes, and their surrounding communities. Reflected through the Arts Council’s commitment to environmental responsibility, this Memorandum highlights the important, crucial connection between culture and the landscape.”

Philip Hygate, chair of the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty said: “England’s 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are deeply committed to working with art and culture organisations. We have seen that when AONB Partnerships and artists come together, the results add up to far more than the sum of their parts, creating experiences that will live long in people’s memories. This agreement with Arts Council England provides a framework for us to do more of this invaluable work and enable more people to develop a relationship with the landscapes on their own terms.”

ENDS

Image: Chris Levine /Jersey Heritage Trust

We are deeply saddened by the news that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died last night.

The period of national mourning has started and will remain in place until seven days after The Queen’s state funeral. From today, we will temporarily suspend promotion of CNL work, including our social media activity, until after the period of national mourning concludes.

The Queen will be remembered for her 70 selfless years of devoted duty and service to the nation, the Commonwealth, and the world. Her Majesty’s consistency, faith, grace, wit, warmth and steadfastness are qualities that have inspired generations of people across the globe. We mourn an extraordinary and cherished Queen, one who leaves a lasting legacy, for which we are thankful.

We offer our deepest condolences to King Charles III and the Royal Family.

How Cleeve Common could look after pylon removal.

• Removal of up to 20 pylons and 7 kilometres of overhead electricity line could transform the skyline to the east of Cheltenham and onto the Cotswold Plateau
• Local people are welcome to attend any of a series of drop-in events to find out about the plans
• National Grid developing proposals with the Cotswolds National Landscape Board and local experts

Exciting plans to remove up to 20 pylons and around 7 kilometres of overhead electricity line in the Cotswolds National Landscape are about to be shared with local people in Winchcombe and the Charlton Kings area of Cheltenham.

The project will see the pylons replaced with cables buried underground to significantly enhance the landscape and views as part of National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) project*, which is a national programme to reduce the visual impact of existing high voltage power lines in protected areas across England and Wales.

A series of public information drop-in events will be taking place during August where visitors can view the plans, speak to members of the team and share their views:

• Winchcombe Museum, High Street, Winchcombe, GL54 5LJ: Thursday 11 August, 10:00am–1:00pm 
• Abbey Fields Community Centre, Back Lane, Winchcombe, GL54 5PR: Thursday 11 August, 3:00pm–8:00pm
• Stanton Hall (Stanton Suite), Church Street, Charlton Kings, GL53 8AR: Thursday 18 August, 3:00pm–8:00pm
• Winchcombe Country Show (hosted at Winchcombe School, Greet Road, Winchcombe, GL54 5LB): Monday 29 August (bank holiday), 1:00pm–5:00pm

Robbie Griggs, National Grid Lead Project Manager said: “By going underground in the Cotswolds, we’ll transform the skyline right across the stunning landscape of the Cotswold Plateau. The section that we’ve earmarked for removal runs from Postlip Mill in the north, right across the plateau avoiding the ancient woodland and steep slopes of West Down, and ending up near Dowdeswell Wood in the south.

“We’ve chosen this section following an extensive piece of independent landscape and visual impact research – which identified the plateau as one of the landscapes most affected by pylons anywhere in England and Wales. We’ve already started early investigations of the unique archaeology and ecology in the area with support from local experts, and we are talking to local groups such as parish and town councils, Cotswold voluntary wardens and the Cleeve Common Trust to share our emerging plans.”

National Grid will survey the area extensively and explore a range of potential routes for the new underground cables that would replace the pylons. Our plans will be developed and refined with the advice of local experts and community representatives including the Cotswolds National Landscape Board, Historic England, Natural England, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and the local authorities along the proposed route.

You can find out more via the project’s website (nationalgrid.com/cotswoldsvip) which includes information on the plans, next steps and will soon include a new virtual 360 tour where visitors can see what the landscape looks like now and how it could look once pylons are removed.

Andy Parsons, chief executive of Cotswolds National Landscape, said: “The Cotswolds National Landscape is the largest of all AONBs in England and Wales and spans 790 square miles.

“The last few years have been a reminder that our protected landscapes, our national parks and AONBs are really important for the health and wellbeing of our nation.

“The Cotswolds also has more pylons than any other protected landscape in England and Wales. That’s why we’re really pleased to be partnering with National Grid on this project which will reinvigorate the natural beauty of the area.”

Robbie Griggs concluded: “We really want the local community to get involved and have their say on our plans to enhance this special, protected landscape. If you’re a resident close to our intended route for pylon removal, you should be receiving a letter in the post. You’ll also be able to view our interactive 360 tour when it launches in the coming days, and you can contact us using any of the details below. We look forward to meeting you and hearing from you soon.”

To find out more about the Cotswolds VIP project, get in touch via:

• Website: com/cotswoldsvip
• Email: visualimpact@nationalgrid.com
• Phone: 0330 134 0051

Nicole Daw leads a guided walk taking in a section of the 21 mile Circuit of Bath route. 

The Circuit of Bath takes in river, canal, meadows, woodland and peaceful valleys and provides a beautiful walk in any season.

It passes classic Bath landmarks in the landscape – Little Solsbury Hill, Beckford’s Tower, Dundas Aqueduct, the Kennet & Avon Canal, Millennium viewpoint and the Wansdyke. The route also includes the picture-perfect villages of Woolley, Upper Swainswick, Bathampton, Monkton Combe, South Stoke and Englishcombe. You can find more information here.

With its compact layout and surrounding hills and valleys, Bath is known as one of the most beautiful and most walkable cities in the UK.

Bathscape project manager, Dan Merrett, said: “This is a significant milestone in our project and one of which we are very proud. Through our project partner, Cotswolds National Landscape, we have made physical improvements to the route including installing waymarkers and we now have trail guides ready to use, splitting the route into four sections. Walkers can really challenge themselves whilst experiencing the best of Bath as a landscape city. We’re grateful to the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens and Bath Ramblers for all their work and to the players of the National Lottery, which is funding the project.”

Bathscape has worked with a large group of volunteers to complete the improvements and waymarking and has recently recruited a team of volunteer rangers to look after the route. Working with experienced wardens, volunteers have taken on a stretch of the route that they walk regularly, keeping it well maintained and easy to walk. The new rangers recently joined the volunteers who worked on the path improvements at a thank you event.

Councillor Mark Roper, cabinet assistant for Neighbourhood Services, said: “Many people enjoyed taking walks in their local area during the pandemic. This new walking route offers a longer connected path around our beautiful city and surrounding countryside. It’s also a great motivator for people who want to improve their fitness or wellbeing.  The Circuit of Bath walking route is accessible by public transport and the easy-to-use guides and waymarking will get you round safely.”

The route is based on the Julian House Circuit of Bath walk, which the Bath-based charity has been checking and refining every year since 2001. People looking for a challenge who want to try to walk the full distance in one day, can sign up to the Julian House sponsored walk on Sunday, 25 September. You can register for it here.  On this date, Julian House will provide check points, with water, snacks and toilets and a shuttle bus in case you want to shorten the walk. You’ll be able to raise vital money to support people experiencing homelessness and escaping domestic abuse.  The Julian House walk is the finale of the annual Bathscape Walking Festival, featuring 60+ walks on different themes and in different locations.

For a more leisurely approach to the route, the walk has been divided into four sections linking to public transport stops. The route maps, step by step instructions and travel information are available here. Walking it in sections is also great training for the sponsored walk! You’ll also find this and other walking trails on the Bathscape map.

A team of volunteers have been checking and rechecking the instructions, but continued feedback on the walk and the guides is welcomed, please get in touch with us at info@bathscape.co.uk.  Bathscape will continue working with Cotswolds National Landscape and Bath Ramblers to carry out more improvement works on the route.

Becky Jones, speaking to people in Bath at the start of the 102 mile Cotswold Way at 50 relay walk in 2021. Photo: Russell Sach

We are delighted to announce that Rebecca Jones, our Volunteer and Access Lead, is among those who have been awarded a Member of Order of the British Empire (MBE) in The Queen’s Birthday Honours 2022. Rebecca (Becky) has been recognised for her services to volunteering and the environment.

Every June, on Her Majesty’s official birthday, a list of Birthday Honours is published – showing people who have been awarded for their extraordinary contributions and service across the UK. This year’s publication of the list happened just as the celebrations for Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend began.

For over 20 years, Becky has been working with the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens to oversee conservation and access matters rights across the Cotswolds. She has remained steadfast in her commitment to the volunteer wardens across the Cotswolds throughout many organisational shifts and changes. She has seen the volunteer cohort grow to over 400 voluntary wardens today. Becky had no predecessor for her role, so has been instrumental in helping the wardens establish themselves as a ‘self-managing’ organisation working closely with the Cotswolds National Landscape team. She has implemented training for all elements of the voluntary wardens’ work, implemented record keeping, and forged a partnership working ethic which sees wardens working with Public Rights of Way (PRoW) teams to coordinate work on footpaths and bridleways.

The Cotswold Voluntary Wardens lead over 300 guided walks every year, and Becky has ensured that all walk leaders are fully trained in health and safety matters, map and compass reading, and emergency first aid. Attending a walk with the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens means people are in safe hands indeed.

Becky also observed that many of the volunteer wardens had existing skill sets which could be developed – and used this as the foundation to offer wardens more technical training – in dry stone walling, woodland coppicing, hedgelaying, and brushcutter and chainsaw use. Encouraging wardens to gain or maintain qualifications in these areas has equipped them perfectly with the skills and experience they need to help conserve and enhance the Cotswolds landscape.

Becky’s work encompasses so much more. She has championed young people for many years, by single-handedly initiating the education ‘branch’ of the voluntary warden body. Becky has always acknowledged that future conservation work will only be done if we inspire children and young people today about the importance and value of the Cotswolds landscape.

Bringing a personal touch to her work has been a constant theme throughout Becky’s career – she attends all the quarterly ‘district’ meetings the wardens hold annually – across all five districts. She checks in with wardens when they are unwell, and ensures those requiring any special arrangements have their needs met. She attends the funerals of wardens who have sadly passed away.

Becky, with no blueprint for how to harness the energy of these 400+ men and women, has shaped this group of volunteers into award winners. Today, the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens are known locally, nationally and internationally for their commitment, independent work, and for the scale of their activities. Their achievements were officially recognised by the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2018.

Andy Parsons, Chief Executive of the Cotswolds National Landscape said, “We couldn’t be more happy for Becky, or more proud of her. As a team, we work very closely – and so we see every day how hard Becky works, how dedicated she is, and how much extra she puts in. Seeing her awarded with an MBE is absolutely brilliant – she truly deserves it. Congratulations Becky!”

Becky Jones, MBE, Volunteer and Access Lead at Cotswolds National Landscape said, “I still can’t quite believe it. I’ve worked with the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens for many years, and many now feel like friends as well as colleagues – I feel very lucky to work with such an enthusiastic and active group of volunteers.”

Margaret Reid, Head Warden of the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens said, “Becky’s personal touch means that every warden knows her. We can all testify to her hard work and to her devotion to the work she does. It has been a pleasure to nominate her for such a prestigious award, and to see her honoured in this way.”

Image: Squashed Robot Films

This week, the Cotswolds National Landscape Board has submitted its formal response to the government consultation around the Landscapes Review. The review was led by Julian Glover, and published in 2019, with an official government response delayed until 2022 by the pandemic. Following the government response, a public consultation ran until early April this year.

The response to the consultation from Cotswolds National Landscape focused on ensuring the nation’s protected landscapes (National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Andy Parsons, Chief Executive, explained “for these treasured places to remain relevant we have to consider the key drivers of change – such as nature recovery, climate change, public health and enabling more connected communities. It is no longer enough to simply conserve and enhance natural beauty, we must recognise that all landscapes will evolve.” A priority for the Cotswolds will be to support farmers and land managers through a period of transition post-Brexit. The Cotswolds National Landscape team will champion environmental land management schemes that work for all farmers and land managers, and  the early signs of its potential are encouraging, demonstrated through the hugely successful Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.

Many residents in the Cotswolds will be aware that, for some time now, there has been a discussion around redesignation of the Cotswolds from an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to a National Park. There are many strong feelings for and against this – not least because the AONB covers a massive area (790 sq miles) and it doesn’t sit within any one local authority, indeed there are 15 district, county and unitary boundaries within the AONB. The Landscapes Review identified “strong candidates” for redesignation, including the Cotswolds. It suggested that Natural England and ministers considered the case for each candidate.

In its response to the Landscapes Review, Government hasn’t explicitly identified a possibility for a change in designation for the Cotswolds. Instead, Natural England has set up a Landscapes Advisory Panel, which is tasked with looking at designations at a national level across the whole of England. This work could possibly include reviewing the case for new AONB designations, and for potential redesignation from AONB to National Park for a small number of English landscapes, including the Cotswolds. The Chairman of the Cotswolds National Landscape Board, Brendan McCarthy, says “we look forward to participating in this review to ensure that our protected landscapes are fit for the 21^st century, and that they best serve the needs of the local people, communities and nature throughout the whole of the Cotswolds National Landscape”.

The Cotswolds National Landscape team is looking forward to this new era for protected landscapes and acknowledge that to achieve success there will need to be a big team effort, working in partnership with Defra, local authorities, charities, businesses and local communities and individuals. The outcomes of the consultation will be published later in the year.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• Please contact Alana Hopkins at hopkins@cotswolds-nl.org.uk for further information or interview opportunities.
• The Cotswolds National Landscape was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1966 in recognition of its rich, diverse and high quality landscape. www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk
• The Cotswolds National Landscape is looked after by an independent organisation (officially titled Cotswolds Conservation Board) established in 2004 which has a small employee team along with 37 board members – 15 nominated by local authorities, 8 by parish councils and 14 appointed by the Secretary of State.
• The Cotswolds is the third largest protected landscape in England after the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks and represents 10% of the total AONB area in the UK. It covers 2,038 square kilometres (790 square miles), stretching from Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the north, through Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, down to Bath and Wiltshire in the south.
• Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), along with National Parks, are considered to be the most special landscapes in the country and belong to an international family of protected areas.  There are 38 AONBs in England and Wales, and a further eight in Northern Ireland.  For further details, visit: www.landscapesforlife.org.uk. For details of the 15 National Parks in the UK visit: www.nationalparks.uk

The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, being delivered in the Cotswolds by the Cotswolds National Landscape team, has already allocated almost one million pounds in grant funding since the programme launched in July 2021.

The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme was created and launched by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The aim of the three year programme is to help farmers, land managers, and others deliver work on the farmed landscape under the themes of climate, nature, people, and place.

Through the programme, farmers and land managers can be supported to carry out projects that support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and cultural heritage, or support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses. The programme is part of Defra’s Agricultural Transition Plan and has been developed with the support of a group of AONB and National Park colleagues from across the country.

In the Cotswolds, 38 projects have been approved so far, with allocated grants exceeding £950,000. With match funding included, the supported projects are valued at over £1.6 million in total project costs, representing a huge investment in the Cotswolds landscape.

Funding has been allocated to a wide range of creative and considered projects: from accessible paths across farmland showcasing organic arable and livestock farming; to owl and kestrel boxes, and farmland bird conservation helping support wildlife; to hedgerow creation and restoration to increase biodiversity and help capture carbon; a rural skills education centre to increase accessibility and education; to a demonstration farm highlighting regenerative farming and conservation grazing – applicants have impressed the assessment panel with the breadth of their projects, and their understanding of the key themes outlined by Defra.

The previous application deadline has now been dropped by Defra, so applications are now open until the end of the programme, or until the remaining funds (just over £1 million) are fully allocated – whichever happens first.

Scott Brown, Farming Engagement Lead for Cotswolds National Landscape, said, “It’s a real privilege to be working with farmers in the Cotswolds National Landscape. So many of them are genuinely committed to producing great quality food and looking after this special place for others to enjoy. With major changes in farming and environmental policy now well underway, coupled with the urgent need to tackle the climate and nature emergency, it’s a time of great uncertainty and huge challenges for the sector. But there’s clearly a willingness to adapt, and seize opportunities that will lead to a more prosperous future, not only for farmers, but for people, wildlife and the planet. This deserves our recognition and support. By funding and showcasing just some of the fantastic work farmers do in the Cotswolds, I hope the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme offers a bit of that recognition and support, and helps to lay the groundwork for more farmer-led activity in future.”

Farming in Protected Landscapes is a three year programme which will run until March 2024. More information can be found online at https://www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk/looking-after/farming-in-protected-landscapes/ or by emailing farming@cotswolds-nl.org.uk.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• Please contact Alana Hopkins at alana.hopkins@cotswolds-nl.org.uk for further information or interview opportunities.
• For more information about the Farming in Protected Landscapes, please visit https://www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk/looking-after/farming-in-protected-landscapes/
• The Cotswolds National Landscape was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1966 in recognition of its rich, diverse and high quality landscape. www.cotswolds-nl.org.uk
• The Cotswolds National Landscape is looked after by an independent organisation (officially titled Cotswolds Conservation Board) established in 2004 which has a small employee team along with 37 board members – 15 nominated by local authorities, 8 by parish councils and 14 appointed by the Secretary of State.
• The Cotswolds is the third largest protected landscape in England after the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks and represents 10% of the total AONB area in the UK. It covers 2,038 square kilometres (790 square miles), stretching from Warwickshire and Worcestershire in the north, through Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, down to Bath and Wiltshire in the south.
• Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), along with National Parks, are considered to be the most special landscapes in the country and belong to an international family of protected areas.  There are 38 AONBs in England and Wales, and a further eight in Northern Ireland.  For further details, visit: www.landscapesforlife.org.uk. For details of the 15 National Parks in the UK visit: www.nationalparks.uk