The North Wessex Downs National Landscape (NWDNL) launched a new Management Plan for the area at their Annual Forum on 12 November. The five-year Management Plan is a statutory document produced by the NWDNL Team, on behalf of the nine councils that currently cover the North Wessex Downs. It sets out principles for managing the nationally protected landscape, priorities for the next five years, targets for nature recovery, and policies to guide decision making.
The Management Plan is the first to be published since the law was changed to give stronger protections to National Parks and National Landscapes. It is also the first to include specific targets for nature, with a commitment to increase wildlife-rich habitat, tree canopy and woodland in the North Wessex Downs by 3,400 hectares by 2030. These targets contribute towards national targets to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.
Wiltshire Councillor Adrian Foster said;
“This plan is a vital tool in ensuring the North Wessex Downs continues to thrive as a place of natural beauty, ecological importance, and community value. It also supports our wider goals for a greener, healthier Wiltshire and ensures that local communities are at the heart of how we care for this landscape. The management plan is the result of a robust and inclusive process. We are pleased to have formally signed off on this plan, and its adoption marks a significant step forward in our shared mission to safeguard the North Wessex Downs for future generations.”
Tony Vickers, Chair of West Berkshire Council and Vice-Chair of the NWDNL Council of Partners said;
“After a brilliant Annual Forum, West Berkshire Council adopted the Management Plan later that day. This plan will help increase understanding of countryside issues within the council, bring people together to work collaboratively, and build on the already high value of Local Authority spending on the National Landscape. For every pound of Local Authority contribution an additional £22 funding is secured, but the value is even higher if the hours spent by volunteers on funded projects with NWDNL partners is included.”
Henry Oliver, Director of the NWDNL said;
“This Management Plan isn’t just for the NWNL Team or the local councils. Delivering it is the responsibility of everyone whose actions and decisions affect the varied landscapes of the North Wessex Downs. At our Annual Forum we heard from speakers from local groups and communities who were truly inspiring with the energy, passion and dedication they brought to the event. Their example will inspire and encourage many others to do things that help to deliver the new NWDNL Management Plan.”
The Management Plan is available here or please get in touch if you’d like to receive a printed copy.
