Community Engagement
Introduction
Our community engagement programme is designed to ensure that local communities, neighbours, and interested recreational and conservation groups can help shape the project, so that it delivers positive social outcomes and real community benefits.
Guided by the Community Inclusion Standard (CIS) framework, our approach aims to create open, transparent, and practical ways for people to get involved and share their views.
Purpose
The purposes of our community engagement are to:
- Invite local voices, knowledge, and expertise to influence how restoration is delivered. Encouraging community stewardship, by using local contractors and working with local groups, helps strengthen the project’s resilience and ensure that ecosystem benefits — along with a shared sense of pride — are felt by everyone.
- Provide opportunities for feedback on project sites once detailed plans are in place, including any concerns affecting access or local viewpoints, to help make sure that public access and the area’s natural character are protected or enhanced.
- Explore additional community benefits that might flow from the project, such as school visits, volunteering, or path restoration. Restoring landscapes is not only about repairing ecosystems — it’s also about rebuilding connections between people and nature.
Communities of place & communities of interest
Our engagement activities are designed to involve both communities of place — the people who live, work, and spend time in and around the project area — and communities of interest, such as local conservation groups, recreational users, and organisations with a shared commitment to nature restoration and sustainable land management. Together, these communities bring local knowledge, values, and expertise that are vital to shaping a project that benefits both people and nature.
How We Engage
We use a range of tools and activities to stay connected with local communities, neighbours, and organisations throughout the life of the project.
Each is designed to make it easy for people to get involved in ways that suit them best.
Website
Our project website l-and.co is the main hub for sharing information. It sets out our overall aims, provides contact details, and hosts online surveys. You can also find updates and read about specific project sites. Use our feedback form with any comments.
Online Surveys
Our online surveys have allowed everyone to share their views easily, using links on our website, social media, or QR codes displayed around the park.
The first survey (January 2024) helped us understand local priorities for nature restoration and community benefits. Click here to see survey results.
Our second survey allows for ongoing feedback and comments to be made and is currently live on our website.
Other surveys will come online when specific detailed projects are ready for consultation.
Have your sayFocus Groups
At the start of the project, we held focus groups with recreational and educational users, neighbouring landowners, conservation groups, and environmental non- governmental organisations (ENGOs.) These sessions helped shape our community engagement and benefits plan and ensured that a wide range of voices were heard early on.
Drop-In Events
Before work begins on specific sites, we will host local drop-in sessions at community venues nearest to the project areas. These events give people who prefer in-person discussions the chance to review detailed site plans and share ideas.
Advisory Group
Our advisory group brings together representatives from local authorities, environmental NGOs, and regional organisations. Read more here...
Meeting once or twice a year, the group helps identify collaboration opportunities and keeps members informed about progress and funding developments.
read moreCommunity Benefit Committee
This new committee, currently being established will include representatives from both communities of place (local residents) and communities of interest (such as walkers, youth groups, and other local organisations). It will advise the project team on community participation in design and delivery, and help make decisions about how community benefits are distributed.
Email updates
Anyone can sign up to receive regular email updates about new projects, events, and opportunities to get involved. Our mailing list launched in January 2024 and continues to grow.
newsletterScope
The scope of community engagement is guided by the following parameters:
- Ecological principles — ensuring all activities contribute positively to local habitats and biodiversity.
- Landowner and land manager priorities — reflecting the needs and wishes of those who live, work, and care for the land, and who are responsible for its long-term sustainability. Nature restoration projects form one part of an integrated land-use approach, combining agriculture and forestry with wider ecosystem benefits such as carbon storage, biodiversity uplift, and natural flood management.
- Funding and resources — project activities will depend on securing future funding. Both public and private investment may come with certain non-negotiable requirements.
- Planned engagement activities — the community engagement opportunities listed below are those currently budgeted. We kindly ask that any questions are raised through these organised events and forums, as there are limited staff resources for one-to-one engagement outside of these times.
Timeline
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January 2024
Online Survey
Our first survey was promoted on social media and QR codes displayed around the park. It helped us understand local priorities for nature restoration and community benefits.
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February 2024
Focus Groups
In February 2024 we held focus groups with the following. These sessions helped shape our community engagement and benefits plan and ensured that a wide range of voices were heard early on.
- recreational and educational users
- neighbouring landowners
- conservation groups
- environmental non- governmental organisations (ENGOs.)
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February 2025
Focus Groups
Two further focus groups held in February 2025 with:
- conservation groups
- environmental non- governmental organisations (ENGOs)
- a selection of recreational users
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March 2024 / Ongoing
Advisory group
We have formed an advisory group with representation from numerous expert organisations. Read more on our About page.
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Future Engagements
As Project L-and grows and evolves we shall be continually engaging with the community in a variety of ways. Please read more by clicking the button below.