Countryside managers prepare for climate change

The North Pennines National Landscape has adopted a five-year plan to prepare for climate change and make the countryside more accessible. It matters because the uplands face changing rainfall and more extreme weather, with effects on ecosystems and communities downstream.

The plan, adopted by councils in Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness, County Durham and Northumberland, includes restoring peatland to reduce flooding and protect carbon-rich soils, as well as woodland protection. Raby Estates is working with the landscape body on wildfire prevention, including managing fuel loads and using drones to spot fires; the plan also aims to help farmers host visits for people with limited access to the countryside.