Bowland Connects is a new partnership programme bringing organisations, communities, farmers and land managers together to support nature recovery and strengthen connections with nature in the Ribble River Catchment area of the Forest of Bowland National Landscape.
The programme is led by Ribble Rivers Trust and delivered in partnership with the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, Lancashire County Council, United Utilities and the Woodland Trust.
The programme is currently in pre-development stage. Together, the partners are focusing on listening, learning, gathering evidence and building partnerships to inform future delivery. This will feed into the development of a long-term vision for nature recovery and community engagement in the Forest of Bowland and surrounding landscapes within the Ribble River catchment.
Supported by a £250,000 initial grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this pre-development stage will enable communities, farmers, landowners and organisations to identify priorities for restoring habitats, strengthening rural skills, improving access to nature and creating a shared vision for the future. The work undertaken during this phase will inform a subsequent development stage, during which detailed plans, projects and investment proposals will be prepared.
Subject to the successful completion of these stages and securing further funding, Bowland Connects aims to progress to a full delivery phase, implementing a programme of landscape-scale environmental, heritage and community initiatives across the Bowland area.
The project seeks to create stronger connections between people and nature, helping to ensure that Bowland's landscapes, wildlife and cultural heritage continue to benefit local communities and future generations.
This first phase of the programme has been made possible through a £250,000 development grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.
