Heritage scheme's £1m boost for National Park

A SCHEME which helps protect rural heritage sites and land nature recovery has awarded almost £1m in grants in the last year in Northumberland National Park.

- TONY HENDERSON

The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FIPL) scheme also supports work that mitigates impacts of climate change and provides opportunities for people to enjoy and understand cultural heritage or enhance the character of the land.

Administered by DEFRA and Northumberland National Park Authority, the scheme was originally due to close in April 2025 but has been extended to next March.

Over the last year, FIPL has worked with 70 farmers or land managers, supporting 14 projects that sought to conserve traditional buildings, stone walling or scheduled monuments, 20 projects which reduced flood risk, and eight that supported environmental education.

Nearly 6,000m of footpaths have been improved and more than 14,000 hectares of land - equivalent to nearly 20,000 football pitches - have been enhanced.