Impact
Photo © Andrew Parkinson WWF-UK
Action on the ground
We have recently purchased around 100 hectares of land to link existing nature reserves with the Ingleborough National Nature Reserve. Connecting these habitats allows wildlife to move more easily in the landscape, keeping populations healthy and enabling species to thrive.
We will protect existing areas of exceptional biodiversity such as ancient woodlands, species-rich grasslands and hay meadows.
Grazing animals, especially cattle, will be used to create a patchwork of different habitats, with areas of wildflower-rich grassland mixed with areas of shrub and woodland. We will help re-establish a natural tree and shrub line up the mountainside through tree planting where no seed source exists.
The focus of our activity is on land owned by Natural England and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. However, we are keen to encourage others in the area to manage their land in a way that helps wildlife too. We are working with local farmers and landowners, building on their unique knowledge of this landscape, to encourage land management across the region that produces food, helps wildlife prosper and combats climate change.
Working together
We want to work with local people and visitors to develop Wild Ingleborough and ensure the project is sustainable.
We are keen to hear your views and are running regular community meetings and workshops to give people and organisations a chance to input into the development of the project.
We plan to host farmer visits to showcase our land management approaches and discuss ways for us to work together on projects funded by new agricultural support schemes.
Photo © Joseph Gray WWF-UK
Photo © Joseph Gray WWF-UK
Sound evidence
Monitoring and research is a crucial part of the project, helping us understand the impact changes to the landscape are having on wildlife and the environment. Restored peat bogs and new areas of native woodland will lock up carbon, helping to slow climate change. They will also slow the flow of water through the landscape, reducing flooding in downstream communities and improving water quality. Our results will inform future decision making and provide a blueprint for similar projects.