And Cumbria Wildlife Trust - on behalf of Cumbria Biodiversity Partnership and the Lake District National Park Partnership – will lead the way after being awarded £17,000 from Defra’s Local Nature Partnership Fund.

The three organisations will examine the desire and potential for the development of a Local Nature Partnership (LNP) for Cumbria.

Local Nature Partnerships are one of the key initiatives outlined in last summer’s Government White Paper on the Natural Environment (2011) with approximately 50 being established across England. These partnerships are aimed at bringing together the individuals, businesses and organisations to create a vision and plan of action for the natural environment at the local level.

It is envisaged that LNPs will work at strategic level and on a landscape scale to deliver a healthy natural environment that provides multiple benefits. Key to this will be linking with the business sector and the Local Enterprise Partnership to contribute to local development and a Green Economy.

Initial work in Cumbria will include identifying stakeholders to take part in a county wide consultation on what the exact structure, function and role of a Cumbria LNP might be. Discussions will also take place with proposed neighbouring LNPs in Lancashire, Morecambe Bay and the North Pennines on how to best to work together.

Sir Martin Holdgate, Chairman of the Cumbria Wildlife Trust Conservation Group said "This is great news for Cumbria and a fantastic opportunity to bring groups concerned with our countryside together. We all seek a Living Landscape that is beautiful and rich in wildlife but is also productive and the home of prosperous communities. We must fashion the Local Nature Partnership as an instrument to that end."

Local Biodiversity Manager Graham Jackson-Pitt, hosted by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, will be acting as secretariat during the development of the LNP and if you would like more information on the process then please contact him This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 01539 816300.