Protection for wildlife

Wednesday 11th November 2009, 10:00AM GMT.

long mynd One of Shropshire’s most famous beauty spots will benefit from almost £2 million of funding for essential environmental projects over the next decade.

The cash will go towards protecting wildlife on the Long Mynd near Church Stretton along with funding green projects delivered by the National Trust which owns the land. It is hoped the windfall will specifically be used to help increase the population of ground nesting birds.

The 16 active graziers of the Long Mynd and Natural England have signed a new 10-year Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) management agreement to replace an expiring Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) agreement for the Long Mynd.

The HLS agreement will bring in more than £170,000 in annual management payments each year over the next decade.

A further £70,000 has been earmarked for the first three years of the agreement for the environmental projects.

National Trust assistant director of operations, Ben Shipston, said: “The existing ESA scheme has over the past 10 years transformed the fortunes of this regionally important Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and so we are really excited at the prospect of continuing to work in partnership with the Natural England and the commoners under the new HLS scheme.”

With the contrast of sheltered stream valleys and the upland wilderness of undulating heather, the Long Mynd attracts more than 250,000 visitors a year.

View more: Church Stretton news, Long Mynd news.