Countryside Management Association News

Alston, part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) will benefit from a share of a £3m windfall.

The cash is to be spent on wildlife and community projects over the next three years as part of the Living North Pennines initiative.

Living North Pennines projects will be predominantly concentrated in the upper reaches of the AONB, covered by the Tees, Derwent and South Tyne rivers.

Some will be spent on the Bentyfield Mine above Garrigill and residents in Alston Moor will be asked to take part in North Pennines Stories.

A series of horse rides will be developed to explore some of the historic routes that were used for moving lead from mines to nearby towns.

'Places to Live, Places to Work' will help conserve four historical structures in the AONB including the mine near Garrigill.

Local schools will also be involved and teachers will be encouraged to take their lessons outdoors, and new broadleaf woodlands will be planted to boost existing small woods.

Almost £2m for the programme, which will start later this year, has been donated by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Living North Pennines is led by the North Pennines AONB Partnership with support from the lottery, the Environment Agency, Northumbrian Water, English Heritage, the SITA Trust, Natural England, the Forestry Commission and local county councils.