The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative

David AndersonInner Forth Futurescapes OfficerRSPB Scotland

Talk outline

• Why the Inner Forth• The Inner Forth Landscape

Initiative• Protecting the Natural Heritage of

the Inner Forth

A Special Place for Wildlife

A Special Place for People

• Industrial Heritage• Cultural Heritage• Agriculture• Development

Pressures

• Land claim• Development• Climate change

Working Together

• Everything is linked• Wildlife cannot be

protected in isolation• Need to think on a

landscape scale• We need to work in

partnership

The Inner Forth Landscape Initiative

Our vision is to... • Turn perceptions of the Inner Forth around and

rekindle local pride,

• Connect disparate habitats to create a landscape flourishing with wildlife,

• Conserve, enhance and celebrate the Inner Forth’s natural, cultural and built heritage,

• Create opportunities and support people to enjoy, explore and take action to look after their landscape,

A dynamic, changing landscape (past, present & future)

Reconnecting people back to the Forth

So far we have.....

• Built a partnership• Stage 1 HLF Landscape Partnership Bid• Initial research and community engagement

• HLF Stage 1 pass for £1.9m – 50% of costs

Development Stage: 2012-2013

• Community & stakeholder engagement; • Identify, design and select detailed projects;• Feasibility and project scoping studies;• Secure match funding for project delivery;• Prepare Landscape Conservation Action Plan

& submit Stage 2 bid to HLF;

Sponsoring Group

Landscape Initiative Project Team: •Programme Manager •Community & Projects Officer•Administrator (0.5FTE)

•Landscape Initiative Programme Board – Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) - Chair, RSPB, Falkirk Council, Stirling Council, Historic Scotland, Central Scotland Forest Trust (CSFT), Sustrans

Landscape Initiative Steering Group – RSPB (Chair), Falkirk Council, Stirling Council, Clackmannanshire Council, Historic Scotland, SNH, CSFT,

TCV, Sustrans, SEPA

Working Groups

Skills and Training•Identify needs and opportunities to increase heritage skills through training•Develop training planMembership:CSFT, TCV, Falkirk Council, Historic Scotland, Clackmannanshire Council

Cultural Heritage•Identify needs, opportunities and key themes to conserve and celebrate the (tangible and intangible) cultural heritage of the area•Design and coordinate Condition Surveys of potential projects sitesMembership: Historic Scotland (Lead), Falkirk Council, Clackmannanshire Council, Stirling Council, Fife Council, Archaeology Scotland, Local heritage groups

Access•Identify needs and opportunities to improve physical access •Design and coordinate access audits, projects and strategies to encourage active use of landscapeMembership:Sustrans (Lead), Falkirk Council, Clackmannanshire Council, Stirling Council, SNH, CSFT, Paths for All

Funding Network•to identify match funding opportunities for the Delivery Phase •To agree how partners can work together to their respective advantages to secure match funding•To encourage cooperation and reduce competition over limited funding Membership:RSPB, SNH, Falkirk Council, Clacks Council, Stirling Council, CSFT, Forth Valley LEADER

Audience Development /

Community Engagement

•Oversee community engagement activities and coordinate with other community engagement activities in the landscape•Identify approaches to enhance community participation and learning opportunities •Oversee preparation of Learning and Interpretation PlanMembership:RSPB, TCV, HS, SNH, CSFT, local authorities,

Natural Heritage •Identify needs and opportunities for restoring / conserving natural heritage features of the Landscape•Design and coordinate Development Year studies to inform project development

Membership:RSPB (Lead), SNH, SEPA, CSFT, Butterfly Conservation, Buglife, SWT, Falkirk, Fife , Stirling, Clacks Councils, TCV

Inner Forth Landscape Initiative Project Management Structure

Natural Heritage Working Group

• Identified our habitat priorities– Wetlands– Industrial– Farmland and estates

• Phase 1 study• Woodland and designed

landscape study

• Inner Forth Wetland Network• Habitat Stepping Stones

Conserving and Enhancing Natural Heritage

• Restoring Natural Features

Conserving and Enhancing Natural Heritage

• Managing and Restoring designed landscapes

The Next Steps

Delivery: 2014-2018