Groups and partnerships

Small tortoiseshell butterfly -copyright Amy Lewis

Small tortoiseshell butterfly © Amy Lewis

Groups and partnerships

Working together for wildlife

Cumbria Wildlife Trust works in partnership with other organisations to achieve the best results for wildlife and connecting people with nature. We also support special interest groups, which are made up of volunteers and experts in a particular field.

Groups and partnerships

The Bay Programme

Together with these three organisations, we're leading The Bay programme; The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, The Eden Project, and Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust.

'The Bay: A Blueprint for Recovery'  will benefit the communities of Wyre, Morecambe and Barrow-in-Furness, while also helping to support and alleviate some of the stresses on our NHS. 

The Bay: A Blueprint for Recovery project is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery as part of the ‘Postcode Recovery Fund’ - designed to help communities recover from problems exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Find out more about The Bay Programme
Groups and partnerships

Cumbria Peat Partnership (CPP)

The Cumbria Peat Partnership (CPP) is a practical delivery group, made up of 14 organisations from across Cumbria. Scroll to read more.

What is peatland restoration and why is it important?

What is the Cumbria Peat Partnership about? 

It brings stakeholders together to share knowledge, develop best practice and actively support the restoration, stewardship and the long-term future of the wide range of valuable peat habitats in Cumbria.

The Cumbria Peat Partnership will actively support the restoration and better stewardship of peatland habitats with the aim of delivering:

  • Flood Risk Management
  • Biodiversity, Water Resources
  • Water Quality
  • Carbon Storage
  • Water Framework Directive benefits

What are the key objectives of the Cumbria Peat Partnership?

The formation of the Cumbria Peat Partnership (CPP)  in spring 2012.  Its key objectives are that by 2020 we will:

  1. Seek to achieve favourable management conditions of 2020ha of Peat land habitat in Cumbria.
  2. Improve connectivity of Peat land habitats for the benefit of flagship species in Cumbria.

What work has been carried out so far?

Surveys are currently being carried out of potential restoration sites, following a detailed mapping exercise of the available peat habitat in the Lake District National Park and areas of high restoration potential.

This will help us to identify areas of erosion and help us to define where best to focus our resources.

Who is a member of the Cumbria Peat Partnership?

Representatives from the following organisations will form the membership of the partnership:

More information?

If you would like to find out more about the Cumbria Peat Partnership and its 
work please email mail@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk or telephone 01539 816300.
 

Cumbria Peat Partnership (CPP) terms of reference PDF

Cumbria Biodiversity Action Plan (species updated list 2009) PDF

Groups and partnerships

Cumbria Local Nature Partnership (CLNP)

Cumbria has an amazing range of landscapes and geology, supporting a rich and diverse wildlife. The Cumbria Local Nature Partnership promotes & supports our wildlife.

It's taking a lead on ‘Nature Recovery’ in Cumbria; ensuring nature is fully considered in local decisions for the benefit of nature, people and the economy.

More about the CLNP
Groups and Partnerships

Cumbria's Swift Groups

Cumbria has a number of community swift groups, working to protect and for the enjoyment of swifts. Groups monitor swifts and put up nest boxes.

Swift groups
Groups and Partnerships

Cumbria Dark Skies

Friends of the Lake District are working to save Cumbria's dark skies.

Find out more about the Cumbria Dark Skies project

Cumbria's dark skies allow us to see the natural wonder of the stars, but are also critical for the health wildlife and our own natural well-being. Sadly light pollution in Cumbria is increasing each year, threatening to obscure our view of the stars and blinding and confusing animals so they can’t feed or find a mate.

Discover more about The Friends of the Lake District project to stop light pollution. 

 

 

Groups and partnerships

Cumbria GeoConservation Group

Formerly known as the RIGS group, this special interest group of Cumbria Wildlife Trust designates and interprets Local Geological Sites, formerly known as RIGS.

Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGS) were originally designated as important places for geology and geomorphology outside statutorily protected land such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

This has changed and RIGS have become ‘Local Geological Sites’ (LGS) which, importantly, are recognised by local planning authorities; Cumbria GeoConservation gets consulted if any proposed development impinges on an LGS.

This is a means of safeguarding important Earth science and landscape features for future generations to enjoy.

Further information about local geology and a map showing the location of Local Geological Sites can be found on the CumbriaGeoConservation website

For all the Local Geological Sites that can be visited without seeking permission, 'Site Data Sheets' can be downloaded from the CumbriaGeoConservation website and for some sites there are non-technical leaflets to download.

Groups and partnerships

Cumbria Beaver Group

The Cumbria Beaver Group is made up of Cumbria Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Lowther Estates and Eden Rivers Trust and is working in consultation with Natural England, the Environment Agency, United Utilities, Forestry England, the University of Cumbria and others. 

More about Cumbria Beaver Group

The aim of the group is to facilitate the well planned and managed reintroduction of beavers to Cumbria through the delivery and support of enclosed scientific beaver release trials, as well as community engagement and advocacy. 

  • Beavers are native to Britain but were wiped out in the 16th century, mainly due to hunting.
  • Beavers are completely vegetarian and do NOT eat fish.
  • Beavers can provide a range of environmental and socio-economic benefits. These include flood risk alleviation, improved water quality, habitat creation for other wildlife and increase revenue for the local economy through nature-based tourism. 
  • The proposed release schemes in Cumbria are enclosed scientific trials and will only take place if a license is granted and funding can be obtained. They are not for free roaming beavers so they will be unable to move into the wider surrounding countryside.
  • In the long term, the Cumbria Beaver Group would like to see beavers return to Cumbria. However, it is vital that any reintroduction is well planned, well managed and has the support of the local community.
Groups and partnerships

Cumbria Mammal group

The Cumbria Mammal Group has been set up with the objective of raising awareness of the county’s mammals and encouraging people to participate in monitoring and recording their presence. Follow Cumbria Mammal group on Facebook

The Cumbria Mammal group Facebook page is already populated with a number of posts, photographs and videos and new members are always welcome.

As well as being a useful means of sharing observations from around Cumbria the Cumbria Mammal group is planning to run some specialist field meetings with a view to producing the mammal experts of tomorrow.

Cumbria is fortunate in possessing some real experts and if these individuals cast their minds back, they will recall that they were initially shown the ropes by someone willing to share their skills.

The demise of the old Mammals Group and the regional Badger Groups has created a vacuum in this educational area that this new Group intends to fill.