Living Landscapes
The John Clare Country Project
Scheme area: 1,500 hectares
Benefits include: Habitat restoration and creation, landscape linkage, recreational opportunities, improved access for local communities and visitors, education and training
Delicate orchids dot the wildflower-rich meadows as rare butterflies flutter through the pastures feeding on nectar. Red kites and buzzards soar over-head and, as dusk falls, families of badgers shuffle out of their setts to feed.
The limestone country to the west of Peterborough, extending into Northamptonshire, was home to John Clare (1793 - 1864), now regarded as the most important English poet of the natural world. His careful and lyrical description of the land around him, during the turmoil of the Enclosure Acts, presaged modern environmental concerns. Now, the surviving fragments of Clare’s landscape are being protected, managed and made available to local people through this partnership project. The area runs from the fringes of Peterborough into the former Rockingham Forest. It encompasses ancient woodlands which are carpeted with bluebells, anemones and clouds of garlic-scented ramsons in the spring, flower-rich woodland rides and limestone grassland full of orchids and butterflies. The John Clare Country Project is an exciting new vision of a huge living landscape that people can enjoy and where wildlife can thrive.
The John Clare Country Living Landscape project aims to create a network of woodland, grassland and wetland habitats, safeguarding existing areas, interpreting the historical and biodiversity value of the area to local people, and enhancing the resource for the future. It aims to achieve this by enlarging existing nature reserves and working in partnership with local landowners to environmentally enhance their land. It will provide some wonderful greenspaces for the growing population of Peterborough and beyond to enjoy. It will offer great opportunities of recreation, education and training.
The John Clare Country Living Landscape project is a partnership project being lead by the Wildlife Trust and Langdyke Countryside Trust. Other partners include Natural England, John Clare Cottage Trust, local parish councils, Forestry Commission and Peterborough City Council. The first two years of the project were supported by the Department of Communities and Local Government and Opportunity Peterborough through the Housing Growth Fund.
Click here to listen to Brian Eversham, Chief Executive, explaining Living Landscapes and what it means for our three counties.
Click here for a map of the Living Landscape project areas.