The Northern Real Farming Conference team recently hosted an online workshop, chaired by Adrian Shepherd of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, to explore the new Farming in Protected Landscapes programme recently announced by Defra.
The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme is part of Defra’s Agricultural Transition Plan. It is a dedicated funding programme for farmers and land managers in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), National Parks and the Broads. It will fund projects that support nature recovery, mitigate climate change impacts, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage, and support nature-friendly sustainable farm businesses. The programme is now open and will run until April 2024.
The workshop was a chance to:
- Hear from James Woodward at Sustain about the latest developments in the Agricultural Transition plan, and how the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme fits with the broader framework
- Understand from Kate Corfield and Allen Padua from Defra the Farming in Protected Landscape programme
- Hear two examples of how the FiPL scheme is being implemented in different landscapes, from Suzanne Fletcher in the Peak District National Park Authority and Chris Woodley-Steward from the North Pennines AONB Partnership
- Explore ideas for funding with other farmers across the North of England with input from Adam Briggs from the NFU, Andrea Meanwell from the Lake District National Park Authority and from Will Rawling a farmer from West Cumbria
You can watch the full recording here.
You can also access slides from James Woodward from Sustain here and Kate Corfield and Allen Padua from Defra here.
The themes noted in the online discussion sessions are available here.