Grant reaches limit

The Exmoor Landscape Conservation Grant Fund, launched by Exmoor National Park Authority in September at Cutcombe Market has already reached its limit.

The £100,000 fund was designed to ensure that some of the gains made over the 20 years of the Environmentally Sensitive Area Scheme, which is closed to new applicants and finishes on Exmoor in 2014, may be perpetuated.

Over 40 applications have been received and are being processed.  More than 95% of these are related to traditional hedge bank management and focus on the restoration of more than 13km of hedges within the National Park.

Heather Harley, Conservation Advisor (farming) said, “We anticipated that the Exmoor Landscape Conservation Grant would be popular, but this has exceeded our expectations and illustrates the huge demand and willingness to carry out traditional hedge management on Exmoor. We are concerned that the Environmental Stewardship Schemes now have such limited budgets for this kind of work. Exmoor National Park Authority is working with partners such as the Forestry Commission, Natural England and the farming community to consider how best to ensure that traditional management continues”.

A further £30,000 is still available from the Exmoor Moorland Landscape Partnership, which has funds from the Heathcoat-Amory Charitable Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund, for moorland-based projects.

For more information please contact Heather Harley on 01398 322274.

Published: 19 December 2011