Fwd: Mendip Hills AONB Service Press Release – Friday 3/2/2023

People and wildlife across the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) are benefitting from two parts of Defra’s Environmental Improvement Plan announced on 31st January.

Farming in Protected Landscapes
The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme has been extended for another year until March 2025. The programme provides funding to farmers and land managers, for projects that support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to engage with the landscape and cultural heritage, or support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses.

The Mendip Hills AONB Service has already successfully redistributed £300,000 of public money through the programme to over 40 projects across the Mendip Hills to plant new hedges, rebuild drystone walls, restore ponds and community engagement with farming through training and events..

Access for All

Access for All is a three year funding programme which will improve access to green and blue spaces across the country. Defra has committed £14.5m to make targeted access improvements in our protected landscapes, national trails, forests and the wider countryside to help bring the benefits of spending time in nature to everyone.  The programme includes £7.8m to be spent on supporting our national landscapes in being a positive force for the nation’s wellbeing. Funding in the Mendip Hills AONB will pay for infrastructure improvements to two popular visitor car parks, clearing a busy entrance to Black Down, replacing stiles with gates, seating at the National Trust’s Black Rock entrance to Cheddar Gorge, a more accessible visitor guide to the AONB and a new guide for the Mendip Way. More improvements are being planned for the future years.

The Access for All programme was developed in response to the Landscapes Review which called on the government to open up our national landscapes to a more diverse audience. The programme also delivers on commitments in the 25 Year Environment Plan and the Environmental Improvement Plan to encourage more people to spend time in nature to benefit their health and wellbeing.

Andy Wear, Chair of the Mendip Hills AONB Partnership, ‘This is an important step for Defra in recognising the value of AONBs to society and how farmers can be part of the solution to some of our current climate and ecological problems, if we work with them and use their expertise. I’m lucky that I get to spend a lot of my time outside on the Mendip Hills and understand the benefits of doing this, this access shouldn’t be a privilege. The new access money will be used to create improvements for as many people as possible and I’m confident the AONB Service can do this without impacting on the natural beauty of the area.’

Editor’s notes

The Environment Act designated the 25 Year Environment Plan as the first Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP). It created a responsibility for the government to review and revise the plan, if needed, every 5 years to ensure continued progress against the ten 25 YEP goals. This EIP (EIP23) is that revised plan. It sets out for the first time how the 25YEP goals, Environment Act targets and other commitments the government has made domestically and internationally will combine to drive specific improvements in the natural environment.

Environmental Improvement Plan (publishing.service.gov.uk)

#EnvironmentalImprovementPlan