The White Peak Partnership Presentation to the Peak Parishes Forum 8 th June 2020 Suzanne Fletcher Head of Landscape & Conservation (PDNPA) 1
Summary of presentation Session overview • Background • The Partnership so far • White Peak Vision • Action • What next & local community engagement 2
Background Dark Peak – Moors for the Future Partnership since 2002, moorland restoration work on a landscape scale. South West Peak - National Lottery Heritage Fund Landscape Partnership (2017-2021) White Peak – Missing link? Most fragmented habitats of any National Character Area in a National Park, identified as a priority in the State of Nature in the Peak District report (2016) 3
National Park Management Plan 4
The Partnership so far… 1. Workshop 24 th March 2017 ‘Developing our Vision for the White Peak’ 2. Workshop 3 rd November 2017 ‘From ideas to action’ 3. Vision launch 5 th July 2018 Organisations and key White Peak farmers 5
Developing a White Peak Vision The present… The future… 6
Key elements considered A limestone landscape Agri-environment coverage Internationally important • • • falling ravine ash woodlands Lived in, worked in and • visited Farming economics Ash dieback • • Iconic upland landscape Limited designation Dew ponds • • • coverage Brexit – future policy and Water pollution • • support systems Lawton principles – better, • Cultural heritage • bigger, joined up and more 25 Year Environment Plan • Access – rights of way • • One of the most The full range of public and open access • fragmented landscapes goods • Sustainability and within a National Park Climate change – habitat resilience • Networks and connectivity • and species resilience Interconnectivity – • State of Nature in the Peak • A farmed landscape people, natural and • District report – White Peak cultural environment – Mostly privately owned • a priority the place and managed 7
The White Peak Vision “A limestone landscape revitalised… Working with nature, people have revitalised the White Peak enhancing its unique natural and cultural heritage. Farming, business and communities work in harmony for a landscape that is healthy, fit for the future and for all to enjoy responsibly. The networks of special habitats, wildlife and access are enhanced, enlarged and linked up, providing vital connected corridors across the landscape. Links to the past and layers of landscape above and below ground are valued and conserved. Sustainable land management is an integral part of this limestone landscape producing high quality food and delivering a full range of public goods including clean water.” 8
Steering Group Background The White Peak Partnership Steering Group: - mandate for Vision • brief for the Vision • set up task & finish groups • The Partnership Steering Group membership: - – Peak District National Park Authority – Derbyshire Wildlife Trust – Natural England – National Trust – Environment Agency – Historic England – National Farmers’ Union 9
Action plan Background 10
Priority Action – influencing ELMs Background ELMs (Environmental Land Management scheme) is the proposed new support scheme for farmers & land managers. • Opportunity of a generation • Reconciling the needs for sustainable, productive agriculture and caring for the natural and cultural heritage • Public money for public goods − £30 Million/year into the National Park − Current support system not working − Revised approach needed • White Peak Pilot ideas developed through the White Peak Partnership and Peak District Land Managers’ Forum 11
Priority Action – influencing ELMs Background The Peak District National Park Authority is leading one of 42 Phase 1 Defra tests, in the White Peak. The White Peak test aims to determine whether a National Character Area framework can be used as an approach to designing some of the building blocks for ELMs, and help change the relationship between Government, and farmers and land managers. 12
Current Defra thinking… Delivering, through farmers & land managers, the goals in the 25 Year Environment Plan for: Clean and plentiful water Clean air Thriving plants and wildlife Adaptation to and mitigation of climate change Reduction in and protection from environmental hazards Beauty, heritage and engagement with the environment. A new relationship with farmers & land managers – a contract to deliver public goods alongside market products, not customers of subsidy. Polluter pays principle - Dame Glenys Stacey Review. Glover Review for designated landscapes - bolder & more ambitious on wildlife & future of farming. 13
What is the White Peak test? Defra are funding: - • An assessment of whether the current White Peak National Character Area Profile is fit for purpose • Test with farmers and land managers the usefulness of a National Character Area Profile summary document that sets out the public goods that can be delivered in the White Peak • 25 one-to-one meetings with farmers and land managers to test how a National Character Area framework can be used to design and deliver land management plans • Three workshops to test how a National Character Area framework can be used to design and deliver land management plans and if it can be used to prioritise delivery of public goods
White Peak Test Defra ELMs Test White Peak NCA White Peak NCA summary Prioritise public £’s Land Management Plans for public Goods? What does the offer look like? Thinking about what might change – the offer? Carbon ready reckoner Practical field trials Budget ready reckoner 15
Actions – Nature Recovery Networks Background Spatial planning and prioritisation framework: NRNs will be a national network built from the bottom up. • Natural England will lead on the delivery of the NRN. A Nature • Networks Evidence Handbook is now available. NRNs are based on the Lawton principles of better, bigger, • joined up and more to deliver the targets in the 25 Year Environment Plan of 500,000ha of new or restored habitat and 180,000ha of new woodland. They will also aim to mitigate the biodiversity and climate • crises, and deliver a range of public goods. The White Peak is ahead of the game – over 100 years of • adviser knowledge used to produce an opportunity map, which aligns to that produced by Natural England science team mapping limestone grassland networks. 16
Actions – opportunity mapping Background 17
Actions – water vulnerability map Background Led by the Environment Agency • Using existing data to determine • the water vulnerability of an area to factors such as agricultural pollution Currently being refined to a • smaller scale Could be used by agricultural • advisers or to prioritise funding 18
What next? Background Steering group meet four times per year, with rotating Chair • Partnership meetings generally one a year • Continue with ongoing projects • Currently little capacity for taking forward any other projects • Potential involvement in development of Nature Recovery Networks and Local • Nature Recovery Strategies Improved local community involvement • 19
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