East Durham Limestone Plateau Current Initiatives

Countryside Stewardship

The amount of land in Countryside Stewardship varies considerably across the area. Existing agreements are mostly for limestone grassland, old meadows and pastures, arable, arable margins and field boundaries. Countryside Stewardship was replaced by Environmental Stewardship in 2005. Existing agreements, which last for 10 years, will progressively expire. Some of these may be replaced by new agreements under Environmental Stewardship.

View Land Management Agreements Map

Environmental Stewardship

Environmental Stewardship incorporates a higher level scheme providing funding for restoration, creation and specialised management works and an entry level scheme to support positive management of environmental features. The scheme was introduced in 2005 and take up in the area has been modest to date due to the presence of existing Countryside Stewardship Agreements. It is anticipated that while take up of the entry level scheme may be high in the area, higher level schemes may be limited in number.

Durham Heritage Coast Partnership

The Turning The Tide project is a Millennium Commission funded initiative which is restoring the Durham coast, addressing the legacy of decades of dereliction and neglect. Much of the implementation work has now been done and a management plan has been produced to secure a future programme of works.

Woodland Grand Scheme

A number of the larger woodlands in the area are managed or planted under Woodland Grant Scheme contracts. Take-up elsewhere is generally low which is indicative of a lack of management in many woods.

Great North Forest

The Great North Forest covers parts of the area in the north. Enhanced grant rates are available for woodland planting. Local Management Zone Strategies set out objectives for the local landscape. The Great North Forest Land Management Initiative (LMI) is investigating land management issues in the urban rural fringe.

The Urban and Rural Renaissance Initiative

The Urban and Rural Renaissance Initiative covers the coalfield settlements of the Limestone Plateau. It contains a programme of regeneration initiatives aimed at improving the both the local environment and local economy of settlements affected by the decline of traditional industries.

Local Environment Agency Plans

The area falls within the Local Environment Agency Plan for the Wear catchment. The LEAP contains proposals for improving water quality and river habitats.

Further Information

For further information about Countryside Stewardship and Environmental Stewardship visit Natural England‘s website. Information on the English Woodland Grant Scheme can be found on the Forestry Commission website