An online, interactive members event from 5th to 16th July 2021

We have identified the key issues facing many protected areas across the four themes of Climate Change, Future Farming, Nature Recovery and the Post COVID-19era and access to protected landscapes

Event themes

Climate Change

Our climate change challenge and the enormous human benefits of drinking water supply, carbon security, flood risk management and wellbeing, not to mention the scale of nature recovery required needs an approach bigger and better than present. The Great North Bog initiative is hoping to provide this approach across the 7,000 sqkm upland peat of the North of England. If we are really going to tackle the environmental challenge in front of us this is the scale, we need to work at, so it speaks on a national scale, able to influence policy directly from the Bog to Westminster.

River Derwent, Borrowdale, Lake District National Park, Cumbria

Hay meadows Lower Derwent Valley NNR

Future Farming

Farming in Protected Landscapes is challenging, both physically and economically. The role of farmers and landowners managing these landscape underpins their future - and the wide range of benefits they provide: from internationally important habitats and species to carbon storage, clean water and a place for visitors to enjoy. During the conference we'll discuss issues around the challenge of sustaining farm businesses in a rapidly changing policy context. We'll also focus in on work being done as part of DEFRA's Environmental Land Management (ELM) 'Test and Trial' programme, which is feeding into policy development.

Nature Recovery

Protected landscapes face the biggest change in half a century with the implementation of the Agriculture Act 2020, delivery of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and by responding to the recommendations from the Defra Landscapes Review. There is huge opportunity to restore wildlife to improve, expand, buffer, and connect our core nature sites. National Parks and AONBs should be at the forefront of this recovery. There are lots of fantastic examples of agri-environment schemes, landscape restoration, and catchment initiatives, which positively contribute towards looking after our special places. These need to become more widespread if we are to protect and restore precious habitats and biodiversity, to help us adapt to climate change and deliver a range of benefits for people and wildlife. In our conference webinar we will look at some of these examples.

Planted up gaps in hedge

Family on a footpath in Blanchland, Northumberland

Post COVID-19era and Access to Protected Landscapes

The Covid 19 pandemic has brought a sea change to peoples lives in many ways one of which has been a desire to get outside and experience the natural environment. We have all seen the photos on the news about, queues, parking, littering in the UK’s national parks and this has been the same across many parts of Europe. Many of you are dealing with this on a daily basis and on a positive note has forced rapid and positive change and working practices. EAI has been running a range of webinars to share the experiences and solutions with colleagues throughout the UK and Ireland and these can be found on the resources section. This final event will raise the provocative issue that many of us have discussed at different times about limiting the numbers visiting protected areas.

Join the discussion in our forums

Create or contribute to topics in our discussion forums on each of our four themes.

Welcome to the Europarc Atlantic Isles 2021 members event

In May 2020 EAI had planned an annual member’s event at the Sil in Northumberland NP. The event was themed around Climate change and was intended to be a mixture of talks, discussions, site visit and include an early consultation session on the Europarc Federation strategy. Due to the uncertainty of 2021, we have decided to do an interactive members event online. 

The event will run an over a 2-week period from 5th to 16th July 2021 and we have  tried to identify the key issues that many protected areas are facing and chosen four themes:

  • Climate change
  • Future Farming
  • Nature Recovery 
  • Post COVID-19era and access to protected landscapes

Each theme has its own page, and you can find the programme, discussion forum, films  booking link to presentations and discussions, and you can upload your own films about your work related to the themes in your protected area.

All the more formal events will be recorded and uploaded so even if you miss an event you can watch later and share with others.