A new five-year management plan has been adopted for the North Pennines National Landscape, focusing on climate change readiness and public access. The North Pennines National Landscape Management Plan 2026-31 was adopted by Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness, County Durham, and Northumberland councils.
The plan includes restoring peatland to help reduce flooding and providing farmers with wildfire fighting equipment, such as drones. These measures aim to prepare the North Pennines for future climate challenges, including warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers.
Uplands are considered especially vulnerable to climate change effects like rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns. Mitigation efforts, such as protecting woodlands and restoring peat soils, are intended to safeguard upland ecosystems and support downstream communities by improving water quality and reducing flooding.
The plan also prioritises helping people access the countryside. Farmers are working with the North Pennines National Landscape to gain skills and equipment for farm visits, with some already hosting groups, often young people, to help them understand farming.