Outstanding AONB Newspapers: Available online.

If you missed them, download the AONB newspaper for:

Suffolk Coast and Heaths

A National Landscape Service?

The Government inspired Glover Review into designated landscapes, such as AONBs, reported in November 2019 included a proposal for a National Landscape Service. While many of the headlines at the time focused on children spending a night under the stars, one of the proposals looked at the creation of a National Landscape Service looking at all designated landscapes to encourage joined up thinking. The National Association for AONBs, National Parks England and Natural England have submitted a joint response to a DEFRA paper on the purpose and objectives of the proposed service. The paper supports the creation of such a service where it delivers the wider purposes of the Glover Review, the statutory purposes of designated landscapes and what a new 'mission' might look like.

AONB Chairmen send messages to 'outstanding' volunteers

During the current suspension of AONB volunteer activity the staff team have been keen to maintain contact with its fantastic volunteers. AONB chairmen have recognised this and sent messages to the volunteers thanking them for their previous work and looking forward to a time when volunteer activity can resume.

AONB Grants

Despite the current lockdown the AONB has been able to distribute grants to a total value of nearly £90,000 across 50 projects. Panel members where particularly keen to support projects to aid recovery and adaptation and help back a small percentage of the available funds to support further projects later in the year. Announcement on when the grant programme will reopen will be made in due course for funds that come from DEFRA and section 106 planning mitigation funds.

Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects:

The AONB team is monitoring the developments for major developments in and impacting on the AONB carefully. One consequence of the current crisis is that many AONB Partnership members are either furloughed, redeployed or focusing on other priorities, meaning it would be difficult for the AONB Partnership to give a representative view on consultations or public examinations.

A River Runs Through Us

Some of you will have seen this film, even if you have, it is worth seeing again. It is around 24 minutes and can be viewed on YouTube above.