The Forest of Bowland National Landscape is one of England’s finest landscapes and is internationally important for its peatland, heather moorland, meadows, Atlantic oak woodlands and rare birds. But in recent years, many of these important habitats have come under increasing pressure.
In 2023 the National Landscape team worked with landowners, farmers and conservation groups to design a roadmap to restore these landscapes, improve habitats for wildlife and harness the area’s valuable natural assets to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
The plan also reflects the Local Nature Recovery Strategies for Lancashire (www.lancashire.gov.uk/council/strategies-policies-plans/environmental/l…) and North Yorkshire (www.northyorks.gov.uk/environment-and-neighbourhoods/conservation/local…), and these can also be utilised to identify more detailed and specific nature recovery actions.
It’s also part of a nationwide Nature Recovery Network that creates a proactive framework for delivery by the National Landscape Partnerships, landowners, farmers, land managers, businesses and communities.
By improving the quality of the habitats and the connections between them, the plan outlines how Bowland’s diverse landscapes can support thriving populations of 14 ‘champion’ species including the hen harrier, black grouse, brown long-eared bat and brown trout.
The conservation priorities between now and 2040 are to make Bowland’s precious habitats bigger, better and more joined up.
