Defra’s Landscape Recovery scheme provides funding for long-term and large-scale projects in England. There have been two opportunities to bid to become a Landscape Recovery project (LRP) to date (2022 and 2023), each with different criteria.
LRPs received funding from government to begin the Project Development Phase (PDP), during which partners work together to design detailed, long-term plans for restoring nature. At the end of this phase projects may be offered funding to move into the next one, known as the Project Implementation Phase. To move into this phase, each project must pass through a rigorous assurance process. Experts review the proposals to make sure that public funding is well spent and that projects will contribute to environmental goals. See the Defra website for more information.
All Devon LRPs are in the Project Development Phase. As these are identified by Defra as priorities (having been through a competitive Defra process) it has been agreed with Natural England that they should be mapped as High Opportunity Areas on the Devon Local Habitat Map. See the Viewer.
Devon Landscape Recovery Projects include:
Heaths to Sea, Lower Otter Valley, Clinton Devon Estates
Arlington, National Trust
Central Dartmoor, Duchy of Cornwall
East Dartmoor, Devon Wildlife Trust
Killerton, National Trust
Luppitt, Blackdown Hills
Reviving Exmoor’s Heartlands, Exmoor National Park Authority
Walkham Valley, Dartmoor National Park Authority