East of Eden and Cumbria Connect nature schemes launched

The first, the 102,000-hectare East of Eden project, is one of the Government's six 'Nature Recovery' projects announced on Thursday.

It will aim to manage flooding and wildfire risks, improve carbon stores and build diverse habitats for wildlife such as the endangered wart biter cricket and the elusive twite.

The target area extends from the fertile farmland of the eastern Eden valley, up the western slopes of the North Pennines AONB to the moorlands above.

This landscape is nationally and internationally recognised for its mosaic of upland habitats, which in turn support important populations of breeding birds such curlew and black grouse and rare mountain plants.

In common with the rest of the UK, this part of Cumbria has suffered much habitat loss and fragmentation. This project - delivered through a number of different farming groups and wildlife NGOs - aims to build on and link-up existing successful initiatives in the area.

Geltsdale cows within the trees (Image: Ian Ryding)

The teams aim provide the support needed by land managers, communities and businesses to create a joined-up network of wildlife habitats, and show how restoring healthy ecosystems can provide other benefits.

Environment minister and Cumbrian MP Trudy Harrison said: "We want to create accessible, nature-rich places closer to where people live, and encourage communities to learn more about the wild landscapes on their doorsteps so they can play their part in helping to protect them."

Moorhouse landscape (Image: Martin Furness NE Senior Reserve Manager)

Andy Lees, programme manager with the North Pennines AONB Partnership, said: "The East of Eden NRP is a great opportunity to capitalise on this partnership, bring more people into the circle, and together reach our goal of a more nature rich landscape, looked after by local communities.”

East of Eden follows hard on the heels of the announcement of Cumbria Connect, an RSPB-led project which has secured £4.1million funding from the Endangered Landscapes Programme.

The area of rural Cumbria it covers is larger than Birmingham.

The Cumbria Connect project partners include the Lowther Estate, the Orton Fells Farm Cluster, North-West water company United Utilities and Natural England.

Martin Varley, programme manager for Cumbria Connect said: “Our ambitious programme of landscape restoration will build bigger, better and more connected spaces for nature.”

Cumbria Connect will create interconnected ecosystems which will support species such as the red squirrel, ring ouzels and pied flycatchers, and the reintroduction of water voles.

A black grouse, one of the species that live in east Cumbria. (Image: Supplied)

“One of our first actions is working with Eden Rivers Trust to re-introduce water voles – currently one of our most threatened native species,” Mr Varley continued.

“Over the last century we’ve gone from an estimated population of eight million to around 132,000. In that time they have disappeared from 94 per cent of sites where they once lived.”

Another cornerstone of the programme will be to assist farmers in the area to adopt new or existing nature-friendly business models to access grants from the UK government's new Environmental Land Management Schemes.

Tim Winder, a farmer and member of the Orton Fells Farm Cluster, said: “Our work is about combining the best of modern farming and traditional practices to ensure we produce healthy, sustainable food alongside a rich biodiverse landscape."

Cumbria Connect will initially create ten new jobs across the area with roles in conservation advice.