Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme

The Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme (QLPS) is a £2.6m, 5 year project in and around the Quantock Hills. We started on 1st April 2020 so the Covid 19 crisis inevitably had an impact on our first year or so but we’re in full delivery mode now.

Our project area is some 400 square kilometres, essentially the Quantock Hills proper plus the surrounding ring of Parishes. This is roughly twice the size of the AONB.Landscape Partnership Schemes are all about looking after a particular landscape, in our case the Quantock Hills, and they are about partnership working, bringing a diverse range of interests together to make a real difference to people and place.

We have 23 individual projects, ranging from grants for restoring hedgerows, historic features, and traditional orchards through to educational work with local schools, archaeological excavations, archival research, and a wide ranging and inclusive events programme. There is something for everyone to can get involved with.

The Scheme aims to protect and restore the distinctive features of the Quantock landscape, improve management of the access pressures on the Hills, and make the health and wellbeing benefits of recreation more available to communities in the surrounding towns and villages. We are increasing understanding of the development of the Manorial landscape, how it underpins the character of the Quantocks, and of the wider natural, built and cultural heritage of the area.

The Scheme is also working to increase the resilience of organisations, communities, and individuals, building the capacity and skills of the volunteer base working in the area, and giving more people opportunities to contribute.

The QLPS is 79% cash-funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional funding from Hinkley Point C s106 (planning) money, the National Trust, Friends of the Quantocks, and the AONB itself. Volunteer time as help in kind is also a big part of our funding package. It is hosted and led by Quantock Hills National Landscape . The Scheme has a five person staff team, assisted by partner organisations, local people and communities, and a wide variety of contractors.