Huge 20-year project kicks off to restore West Lancashire Moors enjoyed by 1 million people

Around 7,000 hectares (27 square miles) of landscape around landmarks such as Darwen Tower, Winter Hill and Rivington Pike are being assessed by partners including Lancashire Wildlife Trust and United Utilities, who are developing a 20-year Landscape Recovery Scheme.

The needs of farmers, residents and visitors will be investigated along with those of the wildlife and nature that calls the area home, the aim being to create a thriving landscape for everyone.

A new short film has been created to help people know what’s going on. Featuring staff from the Wildlife Trust and United Utilities, along with a local farmer, artist and walker, the film aims to show people why the West Pennine Moors are so special, the challenges they face, and hopes to inspire people to get involved and support the Landscape Recovery Scheme.

Nabil Abbas, West Pennine Moors Project Manager at Lancashire Wildlife Trust, said: “Over the years numerous pressures on the landscape have combined to threaten the natural habitats and species which live there. However, by working in partnership and developing landscape-scale proposals, the Landscape Recovery Scheme aims to restore and rejuvenate the landscape so that it can provide us with a series of ecosystem service benefits: more wildlife, clean drinking water, carbon storage, sustainable farming businesses, and a place where people can spend time enjoying the great outdoors and improving health and wellbeing.”

Andy Ryding, United Utilities Catchment Partnership Project Officer, said: “The Landscape Recovery scheme is a vital partnership that brings together so many key stakeholders to work together, to better enhance the natural environment, to support our farming tenancies and benefit our surrounding communities.

“For our part, improving the catchment land around our reservoirs not only helps improve the biodiversity of the area, but crucially improves raw water quality which reduces treatment costs for our valued customers.”

In terms of priority species of local concern for conservation on Lancashire’s Biodiversity Action Plan Species, the area has 185 species listed (including 84 plants and 61 birds), and is noted for key isolated populations of twite, brown hare and adder.

A series of public events and activities will be held over the spring and summer to give people the opportunity to learn more about the project and have their say on what the landscape means to them. For more information about the project, visit lancswt.org.uk/west-pennine-moors