A number of the schemes awarded funding will promote a catchment approach to water management by engaging people, communities and landowners to improve water management in the long term. 

Others will focus on using nature and heritage to provide opportunities for communities within post-industrial landscapes, from new skills training and educational opportunities, to boosting tourism and local business.

Drew Bennellick, HLF Head of Landscape and Natural Heritage, said: “Across the UK people are increasingly realising that nature is in trouble and it’s time to take a more proactive approach. Schemes like these provide a creative solution to helping people reconnect with landscapes and the environment, to implement solutions at a truly landscape-scale and tackle issues such as soil loss and flooding by supporting partnerships and coalitions of the willing.”

Areas awarded initial support

The eight landscapes stretch from Ayrshire to Somerset, highlighting the range of the UK’s natural heritage:

[quote=Drew Bennellick, HLF Head of Landscape and Natural Heritage]“Across the UK people are increasingly realising that nature is in trouble and it’s time to take a more proactive approach."[/quote]

Tyne to Tees, Shores and Seas – Seascape Partnership, County Durham

HLF’s first marine-based Landscape Partnership has plans for the construction of a new educational facility and a two-year trainee programme in natural, built and cultural heritage skills.

Fellfoot Forward, Cumbria

Focused on a less well-known part of northern Cumbria, this project will deliver a number of benefits ranging from natural flood management, peatland conservation and a schools’ education programme.

Coalfield Communities, East Ayrshire

This scheme covers the industrialised heartland of East Ayrshire, a part of Scotland which has been scarred by open-cast coal mines and has high levels of social deprivation.  The first step will be work on renewing the landscape.

Binevenagh and Coastal Lowlands, County Londonderry 

Formed by volcanoes, glaciers and man, Binevenagh contains habitats such as dunes, sandy beaches, maritime cliffs and blanket blogs.  Improvements to natural and heritage sites will help reduce negative environmental impacts.

Four further successful projects:

• The Chronicles of Charnwood, Leicestershire
• The Brecks: Fen Edge and Rivers, Suffolk
• Watercress and Winterbournes – Hampshire’s Chalk River Headwaters LP
• Quantock Hills LP - Reimagining the Manor, Somerset

Ground-breaking funding is being delivered thanks to National Lottery players. HLF’s Landscape Partnership programme – which has now been running for 12 years - is the most significant grant scheme available for landscape-scale projects.