The Wye Valley National Landscape Team

What does the Wye Valley National Landscape Team do?

Our job is to make sure the things that make the Wye Valley National Landscape so special are cared for now and for future generations. We do this by working on projects and initiatives with landowners, local communities, visitors and public, private and voluntary organisations to conserve and enhance the area’s natural beauty. We also raise awareness of the value of the landscape and the natural and cultural heritage within the Wye Valley National Landscape. We encourage people to learn about the Wye Valley, to visit and enjoy it, helping to improve their health and wellbeing. We also work collaboratively with farmers, landowners, forest owners, rural businesses and local communities to promote sustainable forms of economic and social development.

We operate as a cross-border co-ordinating body, engaging with local communities, landowners and other partners to advise, develop and deliver both smaller localised projects and wider landscape-scale initiatives to achieve the objectives within the AONB Management Plan. As well as leading on a number of projects we are also involved in other partnerships that relate to the Wye Valley, including:

• Wye Navigation Advisory Committee
• Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Local Nature Partnerships
• The Wye Catchment Partnership
• Offa’s Dyke Collaboratory
• Wye Valley & Forest of Dean Tourism
• Foresters’ Forest Landscape Partnership

Introducing the Wye Valley National Landscapes Unit

The Wye Valley National Landscapes Team is based in Hadnock Road, Monmouth. The team currently comprises a number of full-time core posts and temporary project-funded posts:

• Andrew Blake  – National Landscape Manager
• Juliana Foster – Business Support Assistant
• Lucinda James – Community Links Officer
• Nick Critchley – Development Officer
• Ruth Waycott – Information Officer
• Vacant              – Lower Wye Project Officer
• Vacant               – Lower Wye Nature Recovery Officer
• Anna Stankiewicz – Farming in Protected Landscapes Officer
  
• Holly Williams   – Wye Adapt to Change Project Officer

For Contact details please click here to go to the Contact Us page.

We report to the Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) and are employed on behalf of the Wye Valley National Landscape Partnership by the local authorities, Herefordshire Council, Monmouthshire County Council and Forest of Dean District Council. The Wye Catchment Advisor is employed by the Wye & Usk Foundation.

Wye Valley National Landscape Team Core Functions

• Developing, reviewing, preparing and publishing the AONB Management Plan
• Advising upon, facilitating and coordinating the implementation of the Management Plan
• Accessing resources for National Landscape management, conservation and enhancement activities
• Developing an involvement by the community in the management of the National Landscape
• Providing management and/or collaborative role to co-ordinate conservation and enhancement of the National Landscape at a local and strategic level
• Problem-solving with the team acting as co-ordinator and facilitators
• Advising Local Authorities and other partners on their activities within the National Landscape to encourage them to attain the highest possible standards (under s85 CRoW Act)
• Working with and contributing to the National Landscape Association activities, sharing advice and best practice nationally and regionally.
• Providing landscape-related planning advice to local planning authorities and government agencies.
• Contributing and supporting activity between National Landscapes and protected landscapes to strengthen the status of National Landscapes individually and collectively.
• Monitoring and reporting on the progress of the Management Plan and Annual Business Plan to the Wye Valley National Landscape Partnership, DEFRA and Welsh Government, as requested.

The Wye Valley National Landscape Team operates to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults involved as visitors and as participants in all of our activities. If you have any concerns please let us know, either in person or via email.

How the Wye Valley National Landscape Team is funded

The core budget for the National Landscape Team is approximately £350,000 per annum. This consists of grant aid from DEFRA and Welsh Government with match funding contributions from Forest of Dean District Council, Gloucestershire County Council, Herefordshire Council and Monmouthshire County Council (these organisations also constitute the Wye Valley National Landscape Steering Group). Herefordshire Council is the treasurer for the National Landscape Team.

We also bid for additional funding for specific projects and initiatives from a variety of other sources. For example, from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Environment Agency and various Lottery funds. In the past we have secured: Big Lottery Fund support for the mindSCAPE project, Visit Wales and the Arts Councils of England and Wales supported our Wye Valley River Festivals, the Heritage Lottery Fund provided £1.9m towards the £3.1m Overlooking the Wye Landscape Partnership Scheme and the Welsh Government has provided funding for a number of green infrastructure and carbon reduction projects though their Sustainable Landscapes Sustainable Places (SLSP) programme.