A vibrant future?

Sweeping new proposals to guarantee the future conservation of England’s uplands and ensure the economic survival of their residents receive a warm welcome from a range of rural organisations.

The plans are part of a wide-ranging report from the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) which suggest a new, more positive approach to upland management from the new government although much of the data involved was collected before the general election.

England’s hill country contains virtually all our national parks but life for locals in areas like the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District was made increasingly difficult by the Labour government with constantly changing demands and a growing bureaucracy.

The long and detailed report contains many concrete proposals, like the encouragement of local communities to create their own small-scale electricity generation schemes – which is already happening in the Yorkshire Dales – and emphasises the importance of the uplands as the source of much of the country’s water supplies.

It recommends better methods of controlling this water to improve quality and prevent flooding and underlines the importance of areas of upland peat which act as a “sink” to trap millions of tonnes of carbon.

Just as importantly for hard-hit hill farmers – who claim to have been ignored by the Labour government – it points out that almost half the country’s breeding ewes and a third of our beef cattle are raised in the uplands – vitally important statistics at a time of growing food shortages worldwide.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England today issues a warm welcome to the report, particularly praising its emphasis on water management and carbon storage.

Ian Woodhurst, senior rural policy officer for CPRE says: ““We need to banish the negative mind set many people have when thinking about upland communities. They are not just disadvantaged, declining and remote.

“They have a vital role in helping to tackle the nation’s future environmental challenges. But, for them to be capable of delivering this role we need close partnership working between upland communities, government departments and agencies, local authorities, businesses and environmental organisations. This will give them a truly environmentally sustainable future.”

Tenant Farmers' Association chief executive George Dunn said "Unlike some recent policy statements from other organisations, the report from CRC takes a very common sense approach to the problems currently facing upland communities in England.

“It does not shy away from highlighting mistakes that have been made in the past and does not underestimate the work that needs to be done to ensure that upland communities have the chance of a vibrant future".

Only the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) took a slightly sniffy approach with a statement that the report was “perceptive and intelligent” in parts but could have examined the problems facing high-lying rural areas in more depth.

The full CRC report can be read at www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk