LUC prepared a Landscape Character Assessment and a Landscape Strategy for the Wyre Forest Partnership. These documents informed the successful application for £2 million, involving thorough community and partnership engagement. Over a period of almost two years we held workshops and consultations and sent questionnaires to generate feedback, gather views and draw conclusions from the local community.
We conducted a literature review, field survey work, mapping and community consultations to inform decisions for the Landscape Character Assessment. This covered national countryside character, national typologies, county landscape character assessments plus layers of other information such as geology, ecology and soil.
Built on Vision statements covering Landscape Character, heritage, ecology and education; the Landscape Strategy sets out clear expectations for delivery, to be developed through 18 projects over a three year timescale.
For example the ‘Rejuvenating Traditional Orchards’ project restores and enhances a crucial wildlife habitat. This has secured the survival of nationally rare species of fruit trees and invertebrates, increasing the understanding of the area’s orchards and their links to landscape heritage, widening the skills base in traditional orchard management and restoration.
This project alone has revived interest in local varieties of orchard fruit, stimulated the rural economy and allowed the rediscovery of old celebrations and community events relating to apple picking and pressing fruit.
Not only have we involved the local community, we’ve helped them rediscover the art of making fruit juice!
