Landscape Recovery Scheme

The Landscape Recovery Scheme is a series of ambitious, large-scale long-term projects, bringing together multiple partners. Through habitat restoration and land use change, they bring positive environmental change and benefits to the local community.

The Landscape Recovery Scheme is one of three Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. The scheme is administered by the Environment Agency (EA) and Natural England (NE) on behalf of Defra. Each project enters a 2-year development phase, with a view to moving into a 20-plus year Implementation Phase.

The RSPB is lead partner in the development phase for five Landscape Recovery Projects:

• Wareham Arc
• Lincolnshire Wash
• Lake District Eastern Fells
• Greater Sedgemoor
• Ouse Washes

This means that we’re a landowner or manager in the project, receive the grant funding, and ensure that each project meets its objectives and is reported to Defra. We also provide support services for these projects. In addition to the five Landscape Recovery projects the RSPB is leading, we are also a (non-lead) partner in a number of other Landscape Recovery projects

Wareham Arc is an ambitious nature recovery project in southeast Dorset. It covers a diverse landscape, bringing together more 25 land managers including farmers, estates, local businesses, wildlife conservation organisations, Forestry England, Natural England, and other statutory bodies.

The aim of the project is to revive a dynamic ecosystem, which is resilient to our changing climate. The project will support local farms, businesses and charities, and together they will create nature-rich habitats over more than 4,000 hectares of land, and tackle issues facing local wildlife and communities.

Over the next 20 years, the aim is to reconnect rivers with their floodplains, expand and improve the heathlands, diversify the plantlife in forests and use more natural processes on farmland.

We’re helping local communities get involved by providing inspirational events, volunteer opportunities and improving their access to green spaces. Through this, we hope they’ll get more involved in their local landscape.

Centuries of drainage for agriculture and construction of sea walls has squeezed nature into ever smaller areas in this area at the edge of The Wash in Lincolnshire.

Over the past 40 years, the RSPB has created nesting and feeding areas for birds. Now, there are globally-important bird populations at the Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore nature reserves.

In this Landscape Recovery Project, we’re working in partnership with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and neighbouring farmers. Together, we’re creating interconnected wetlands, to give more space for threatened species.

The vision is for a wild landscape on the edge of The Wash, where wildlife thrives and people can connect with nature.

The Lake District Eastern Fells area is a ‘mosaic’ of different types of upland habitats, landowners, and interested parties. The habitats include wildflower meadows, native woodlands, heathlands and bog.

The aim of this project is to reduce emissions, increase carbon storage, securing a clean water supply for the local community, slowing the flow of water, and enhancing the wildlife of the area.

Eventually, our vision is an area full of thriving nature and function ecosystems, that benefit both people and wildlife, looking and feeling richer in nature.

The project takes place in the southern half of the Somerset Levels and Moors. A partnership between the RSPB, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West (FWAG SW) and 100 local participating landowners.

The focus is on nature-friendly farming and other land management activities in this low-lying part of the UK.

The aim is to improve water quality, improve the quality of the peatland in the area, and create more dynamic and diverse wetland habitats in the area, that will support various key species.

In Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, this project is helping 4,000 hectares of the Fenland landscape to become more resilient to climate change.

It brings together farming, nature conservation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and management of water.

This partnership includes private landlords and environmental NGOs, with ambitious plans to create and manage habitat to tackle the nature and climate emergency.

Contact Kensa Cooper, Head of Landscape Recovery Programme: kensa.cooper@rspb.org.uk

The Landscape Recovery Scheme is one of three Defra Environmental Land Management Schemes, alongside Countryside Stewardship higher tier and the Sustainable Farming Initiative.