Almost £600,000 has already been allocated in the Lake District as part of a national grants programme to help local farmers and landowners adapt for the future, become more resilient and deliver bigger and better outcomes for the environment, people and place.

The three-year Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme was launched last year by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and is being managed locally by the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA).

Farmers and landowners in the Lake District are being offered funding for a variety of projects under the four themes: climate, nature, people and place.

The Farming in Protected Landscapes Panel has already approved 25 applications since the programme launched in June 2021, and LDNPA is now preparing for applications for the second year of funding from April 2022, with further funding available through to March 2024.

The Lake District National Park Authority’s Farming Officer, Andrea Meanwell, said: “The range of creative, innovative and pioneering applications we have received so far has been fantastic.

“There are so many great ideas out there to benefit the climate, nature, people and place in the Lake District, and our job is help local people bring them to fruition.

“We can’t wait to see the successful projects who have already received funding progress on their journey, and we’re looking forward to seeing what funding applications come in next.

“Before applying, please contact our team to informally discuss your ideas, our contact details and full details of the programme are available on lakedistrict.gov.uk/FiPL”