Lantern
Greenscape facilitation group project
Lantern is working with nine landowners across Surrey on a new Natural England funded project to encourage collaboration across landholdings to achieve environmental improvements at a landscape scale. The Greenscape facilitation project is focussed on woodland habitats and involves a mix of landowners including the Surrey Wildlife Trust, the National Trust, Waverley Borough Council and a number of private estates in the area.
Greenscape is part of a network of 98 facilitation projects around the country covering 453,000 hectares of land and is also part of the wider west Surrey Woodlands initiative (see below). The project will help those managing land in the greensand valleys south of Guildford and the North Downs to work together to provide better connectivity between their individual landholdings.
The project area is a key part of the western weald and its extensive but fragmented woodland still retains elements of its original significant biodiversity. This approach will enable biodiversity to thrive and the collaboration will result in additional environmental, economic and social benefits across the entire area.
Lantern will be the lead facilitator for the project supported by Petra Billings Woodland Consultancy Ltd working closely with landowners to support delivery of shared priorities and provide advice and guidance to help access grant funding.
This project will be led by the landowners themselves and those who get involved in the project will have the opportunity to share best practice and ideas with other local owners and managers, receive advice and support to access funding for management and capital items as well as expert training and skills development. Overall the project will result in improvements to the natural environment across this important area.
The project is funded through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme's Facilitation Fund programme. The project is supported by Surrey Hills AONB, Surrey Hills Enterprises and the Forestry Commission.
If you are a landowner or manager in the area shown on the map below and would like to get involved in the project, please contact us:
Email us at: amy@lantern.uk.com.
Or call us on: 07815 832 243
The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas. This project has received European Union funding under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme’s Facilitation Fund.
The scheme is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).
West Surrey Woodlands initiative
The West Surrey Woodlands initiative is focussed on bringing local authority and privately owned woodlands in the west Surrey area back into management, producing a wide range of environmental, social and economic benefits. The project will initially cover a cross boundary demonstration area in the north of Waverley and south of Guildford.
A range of activities will help bring woodlands back into management, initially targeting the demonstration area but providing a strategic plan and prioritisation of other council woodlands. We hope to include neighbouring woodland owners to widen the scale of management opportunities and benefits. The Greenscape facilitation project (see above) demonstrates how we will deliver some of the objectives of the West Surrey Woodlands Initiative.
Improving levels of biodiversity as well as social and economic benefits will be priority indicators for the project. In addition, the establishment of wood supply chains and development of a wood enterprise centre will contribute to the long term financial sustainability of woodlands across the area.
Community engagement will be a core theme at various levels from educating people about the benefits of woodland management and responsible use of woodlands, through to volunteer opportunities for participating in management and woodland product creation.
Opportunities will also be established for educating school children and supporting woodland based training and enterprise along with promoting employment opportunities within the sector.
Project partners
Waverley Council
Guildford Council
Surrey Hills Enterprises Community Interest Company
Lantern
The project is also supported by the Forestry Commission.
Join the project
To find out more about the project and how you can get involved please get in touch:
Email: hello@lantern.uk.com
Tel: 07815 832 243
