Our Projects
A group of children in a churchyard – taking part in the South Humber Bank Wildlife and People project

Case Study - Bassenthwaite Reflections 

Programme: Landscape Partnerships 
Applicant: Environment Agency 
Grant awarded: £1,858,000 
Project length: 2 Years  

Bassenthwaite Reflections - printable (MS Word, 255KB) 

Summary

The Bassenthwaite catchment area lies within the Lake District National Park and includes many sites of geological and wildlife importance. The area is home to important habitats and species, including a breeding ground for rare osprey, and the only remaining colonies of vendace (a rare ice-age fish) in England.

The water from the surrounding fells, lakes and rivers feeds into Bassenthwaite Lake, and the water quality in the lake is an indicator of what is happening in the wider landscape. Despite the rich wildlife in the area, soil erosion and chemicals such as phosphates from household products are damaging the lake. This in turn affects on the wider environment, the economy and the local community.

Bassenthwaite Reflections is a community focused Landscape Partnership Scheme.


The aims of the project

  • To contribute to the preservation, restoration and protection of the area’s ecology and natural habitats
  • To encourage the community to develop an appreciation and understanding of the value of the landscape and wildlife, and to take a more active role in looking after it
  • To encourage people to learn about and celebrate the cultural heritage of the landscape
  • To increase and enhance skills, education and attainment for people of all ages

The programme is made up of 28 projects offering a wide range of activities to engage the whole community. The projects focus on 4 themes; Access for All, Cultural Routeways and Landscape Shaped by Water and Community Woodlands. The project has now been running for over 18 months.


Benefits for heritage

  • 17 acres of wetland nature reserve have been created and opened up to the public
  • Community groups are working to eradicate invasive plant species that are damaging riverbanks. 767 volunteer days have been spent so far removing Himalayan Balsam by hand. This work will help stabilise riverbanks and promote the regeneration of native plant species
  • Work with local farmers is promoting the benefits of woodlands in land management. They are encouraged to plant new woods on their land for the benefit of biodiversity
  • Communities are undertaking archaeological surveys to discover and record features in our landscape that indicate how people have worked the land for generations

Benefits for people

  • Local people have been trained in traditional skills, archaeology, and dry stone walling. 292 training events have been attended by 1178 people
  • 2 forestry apprentices were appointed and have undertaken 18 months training scheme with the University of Cumbria
  • 3 guided trails are being developed. The first of these will focus on the landscape; how and why it has changed and how it has been managed over time
  • Fashion has been used as a hook to engage young people in their landscape. Taking inspiration from the natural environment, they learnt traditional skills to create their own clothes and accessories. 68 young people presented fashion shows to a total audience of 1290 people
  • A Bassenthwaite Reflections School Resource Pack is being developed for schools in Cumbria, which will link the projects with the national curriculum
  • A study support programme has contracted 8 specialist tutors, whilst working with 16 schools on practical activity sessions to enhance their school studies
  • Family learning sessions are held to raise awareness amongst young people and families of the environmental, cultural and heritage issues surrounding the Bassenthwaite Lake catchment and to encourage them to become involved in lifelong learning opportunities
  • Local school children have collected and grown acorns, learning lessons in sustainable recovery. The oak saplings have then been planted in hugely successful family tree planting days to develop areas of native oak woodland

Lessons learnt

  • An integrated approach was needed to address the many factors which affect the catchment, and to engage the community in tackling these problems. Bassenthwaite Reflections was formed as a partnership between the Environment Agency, the National Trust, the Forestry Commission, Grampus Heritage & Training Ltd, the Lake District National Park Authority and Cumbria County Council

Long term benefits

  • 17 acres of wetland nature reserve have been created and opened up to the public. This habitat encourages more diverse wildlife, and helps protect the water quality of the lake by acting as a natural flood water storage, preventing silt and nutrients from entering the lake
  • The Osprey Bus now provides sustainable transport around Bassenthwaite Lake to reduce the impact of visitors on the environment, and create a safer living environment for the local community

The budget

HLF contributed £1,858,000 towards overall costs of £2,842,658.  Other contributions came from European funding and in kind.

 



Volunteer family tree planting  

A family planting trees 

Sector

Land and Biodiversity 

Activity

Conservation; Participation; Learning