New rural partnership seeks shared vision on environment

A GROUNDBREAKING partnership stretching 115 miles from North Yorkshire to the Scottish borders and covering four nationally protected landscapes with a common set of species, habitats and land uses, has been announced.

The Northern Upland Chain Local Nature Partnership (LNP), including Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Yorkshire Dales National Park, the North Pennines AONB and the Northumberland National Park Authority, is being set up after funding was secured by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Local Nature Partnerships were introduced by the Natural Environment White Paper published in July last year and aim to develop a shared local vision for a healthy natural environment and to co-ordinate action across organisations, making best use of resources, sharing best practice and undertaking linked projects across a wide area for maximum benefit.

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Kelly Harmar, Nidderdale AONB development officer, said: “The Northern Upland Chain LNP will provide the opportunity for interested individuals, businesses and organisations to come together to develop a shared vision for the natural environment within the LNP and to agree priorities that improve social and economic benefits of a healthy natural environment.”

Consultation workshops are being held next month to decide the structure of the new LNP, at Bolton Abbey on March 7 and Hexham on March 9.

A list of successful Local Nature Partnerships will be released by Defra in the summer of 2012.