Supporting Defra’s vision to prepare adaptation plans for all English National Landscapes by 2028
In 2024-25, SWM produced one of the first climate change risk assessments and adaptation plans for a National Landscape, formerly known as ‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.’
Background
Every five years, by law the UK Government is required to prepare a National Adaptation Programme (NAP). This sets out what Defra, who lead the Government’s response on climate change adaptation, plans to do to make the UK more resilient to the impacts of climate change, including more frequent and intense heatwaves, flooding and periods of water scarcity.
The third iteration of the NAP was published in July 2023. In it, Defra state that it will facilitate the creation of a Climate Adaptation Plan for all National Landscapes by 2028, with this then being embedded into their management plans.
How we can help
For your National Landscape, SWM can:
- Assess how the weather and climate currently impacts on the National Landscape.
- Analyse the latest data to produce visual outputs showing how the climate is likely to change in future.
- Create vulnerability maps of the area, showing where the greatest impacts are occurring now, or likely to occur in future.
- Translate these into impacts that are most likely to affect the National Landscape’s characteristics, biodiversity, industry, access, heritage and richness.
- Undertake an assessment showing the likelihood and impacts of specific risks occurring in the near- and longer-term future.
- Produce a tailored action plan for National Landscape staff and partners to take forward.
- Prioritise actions depending on various factors including resource availability, urgency of risk and benefits of implementation.
- Allocate actions to critical audiences, including the local community, landowners and heritage specialists.
- Analyse and provide advice on how to embed this into your Management Plan, and integration with out key priorities including Net Zero.
- Engage with stakeholders throughout the whole process, ensuring that the adaptation plan is truly co-created with those who know the National Landscape best.
Case studies
We can help you
Contact SWM’s Project Manager, Morgan Roberts, to find out how we can help you produce an adaptation plan and associated works for your National Landscape.
“We are very pleased with the first ever Adaptation Plan for the Malvern Hills National Landscape which combines vision with a clearly structured framework for delivery and reporting.”
Paul Esrich, Malvern Hills National Landscape lead