Nature in Charge14 October 2005

Wildland Prospects in the North Pennines

Peter Samsom

Background• AONB Management

Plan context

• NE Regional Forest Strategy

• Proposed actions

• Partners- theory and practice

Character of the area

• Already perceived as very wild

• Off-putting to members of the public and local communities

• Large landed estates- grouse shooting, Common Land and Open Access under CROW

Three pronged approach

Woodland expansion

•Assessment of existing woodlands•Mapping•Identification of opportunities for linkages•Landscape considerations•Funding and facilitation

Three pronged approach

Woodland expansion

• RSPB Geltsdale- Bruthwaite planting

• Black Grouse recovery project

Three pronged approach (2)

Peatscapes• Restore and enhance

blanket bog resources in the North Pennines

• Celebrating the resource

Three pronged approach (3)

Minimal intervention sites• Landownership and

value• But… changing CAP

and uncertainty• More mapping

Wildland characteristics

Mapping work bringing together wildland characteristics and landscape factors

Conclusions

• Without public or NGO ownership large sites are unlikely to materialise

• But opportunities to make areas wilder than they are now through landscape scale approach to woodland establishment and peatscapes restoration

Peter SamsomNorth Pennines AONB Partnership