How Northumberland National Park Authority is tackling climate change
What are the things that your NPA considers it is strong on in relation to climate change mitigation and/ or adaptation?
- Upland management expertise for moorland carbon management/storage and water management/storage’ e.g. successful Border Mires Project in conjunction with Forestry Commission, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, English Nature and others.
- Management of internationally important biodiversity and habitats susceptible to climate change, e.g. upland hay meadows and successful Seeding Change project.
- Promoting sustainability to visitors covering travel, local purchasing / consumption, environmental standards in businesses and green infrastructure e.g. Silver Award for Green Tourism Business for Rothbury National Park Visitor Centre, introduction of Green Tourism Business Scheme to the north east region.
What are the 3 main things your NPA is doing on climate change?
1. Reducing our own emissions and working towards becoming a carbon neutral organisation as a demonstration of building energy management, estate management, procurement, and fleet and travel management, e.g. adoption of Sustainable Procurement Policy.
2. Promoting low carbon action in and around the National Park through the development of innovative Land Use Planning Policies and Supplementary Planning Guidance and through direct SDF support for innovative community and business schemes, e.g. Building Design Guide, numerous directly supported projects incorporating renewables.
3. Working closely with other partners in the north east region though the Water Framework Directive planning process to deliver Catchment Management Plans for the Solway-Tweed and Northumbria River Basin Catchments that take account of climate change issues, such as flooding, clean water etc.
What are the 3 things your NPA aspire to do on climate change over the course of the CSR period (2008/09 – 2010/11)?
1. Extend upland landscape-wide research and partnership management for:
- carbon management (moorland and other habitats, e.g. woodland), e.g. extend successful large scale new native woodland planting schemes.
- water storage and upper catchment management to alleviate downstream flood risks in the context of the Water Framework Directive.
- management to allow biodiversity to adapt, e.g. creation of larger more robust habitats.
2. Innovate renewable energy solutions for communities, farming and rural businesses making the best use of environmental assets in a National Park setting such as hydro-schemes, biomass, etc. towards examples of sustainable (carbon neutral) rural communities/farms/ estates etc.
3. Engage visitors to the National Park and especially young people in the issues of climate change impacts and the role protected landscapes have in mitigating these effects (droughts, flooding and health etc.) using established partnerships in the region. An example would be through development of The Sill –Centre for Wild Landscape based where there are most visitors on Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site.
What are the main obstacles that you currently face to do more?
- Not seen as having a leading role in facilitating climate change solutions such as carbon land management, water/flood management, leisure transport and raising-awareness by Government Departments, Agencies or Local Government.
- Not targeted with support for key research and innovation for landscape-wide solutions, rural community issues, and key sectors such as upland agriculture and sustainable tourism.
- Not able to access normal channels of Government support (data, research advice, etc.).
