Northumberland National Park invites applications to £1m fund for farming in protected areas

Northumberland National Park Authority has announced an additional £1m in funding for projects that conserve and enhance landscapes in the National Park.

The Authority is inviting applications to support one-off projects, both large and small, to be delivered between 2023 and 2025. Now in its third year, the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, led by Defra, provides funding to farmers and land managers in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

To date, Northumberland National Park Authority has awarded more than £600,000 through the scheme, which launched in 2021.

The money has supported a variety of projects across the park, including enriching a historic hay meadow at Alnham Farm in Upper Coquetdale to increase species diversity and the value of the habitat as a pollinator resource.

Waterhead & Bradley, a farm on Hadrian’s Wall, also received funding to install a water system to allow cattle grazing in an area where there was no water supply. The system has reduced rough vegetation to create a better habitat for curlew, lapwing and snipe. An important pond has also been restored to improve biodiversity at a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) on the Roman Wall.

Tony Gates, Northumberland National Park Authority CEO, said: “Our protected landscapes are living and working places, with vibrant communities and some of the country’s finest natural and cultural heritage.

“Since its launch, the FiPL programme has been a catalyst in helping us to promote sustainable land use inside the National Park, and we’re proud of the projects that have been delivered so far.

“The £1m from this grant will help us to support more farmers and land managers to initiate pioneering plans that will continue to conserve and enhance our beautiful landscapes for future generations, whilst enhancing access to them, taking climate action and helping to restore biodiversity.”

To be eligible, projects must benefit nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and cultural heritage in the National Park, or protect or improve the quality and character of the landscape.

Nationally, more than 5,000 farmers and land managers have benefited from the FiPL programme, which has allocated £25m to date with more than 2,400 projects approved for funding across 34 AONBs in England and 10 National Parks.

Farming Minister Mark Spence said: “Our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are key components of our farming landscape while providing a home for important habitats and species, contributing to our nation’s health, economy, and resilience to climate change.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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