Blackdown Hills National Landscape Management Plan 2025-2030

Strategic Delivery Plan

The Strategic Delivery Plan translates the objectives of the Management Plan into high-level actions and delivery goals for the Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership and individual partners to deliver agreed, measurable outcomes over five years. Aligned with the four Management Plan themes of Place, People, Climate, Nature, and reflecting the priorities for action identified for each, it focuses on strategic priorities and key programmes, projects, and partnerships. 

In this chapter:

This five-year Strategic Delivery Plan sits within a structured hierarchy of strategic documents. These plans work together to guide long-term vision, set objectives, define actions, and monitor progress.

Key priorities and actions

The table below highlights the priority work areas of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership for the period 2025-2030 (split into the four Management Plan themes – Place, People, Climate and Nature – within which there is a mix of core activities and externally funded programmes and projects.

The priority work areas are intentionally ambitious yet achievable through direct delivery, partnership working, or advocacy. Many rely on external funding, and several activities outlined in the plan are delivered through several projects and initiatives.

Place

• Continue to support the farming and land management community through agricultural transition, via Farm Facilitation support programmes and by responding to ever-changing agricultural policy and the need/incentives to provide ecosystem services for society, including green finance.

• Step up the action needed to tackle Water Environment Regulations (WER) water quality failures, linked to drinking water/ resource (including drought), surface quality and downstream coastal waters.

• Undertake significant new tree planting, including orchards, restore undermanaged woodlands (to promote regeneration), and restore/reestablish ‘trees outside woods’ habitats, seeking an additional 1108.76 hectares of tree canopy and woodland cover by 2050.

• Increase the uptake in agri-environment schemes, across all components of Environmental Land Management (ELM), including supporting the Luppitt Landscape Recovery Project.

• Desk-based appraisal of the historic environment – use the results to identify where the most significant gaps in understanding are and how they can be addressed. The potential opportunities for community heritage and citizen science projects to help fill those gaps will also be identified.

• Continue to inform and influence planning policy, decisions and implementation through development of additional planning guidance and other tools and mechanisms, working with local planning authorities. Develop a shared understanding of the potential opportunities and effects of measures such as carbon offsetting, nutrient credits and biodiversity net gain in relation to conserving and enhancing natural beauty.

People

• Capitalise on opportunities to secure physical works to improve accessibility, such as accessible trails, parking and facilities.

• Ensure that projects have opportunities for volunteering and engagement with schools built in.

• The Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership to take positive action to increase diversity within the management group and the voices reflected in decision making.

• Promote activities, including organised activities, which support the physical, mental and social health of residents and visitors.

• Collect data so that we have a clear definition and better understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion issues relevant to the Blackdown Hills. This includes undertaking further work to deepen our knowledge of the population within the Blackdown Hills and the surrounding area and responding accordingly.

• Build relationships among local community organisations and agencies to collaborate on inclusion.

• Undertake an audit of the current ways in which the qualities of the landscape and historic environment are presented to the local population and the visiting public. Use the results to identify the opportunities for methods and locations for improvement in the presentation of information and explore ways that the local community could be actively involved.

• Collaboration among partners to champion and find solutions to practical issues widely affecting communities, such as high-speed broadband connectivity and highway maintenance.

Nature

• Restore all priority habitat to a favourable condition, thereby helping to restore the characteristic ‘patchwork’ landscapes and habitat features for the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, particularly springline mires.

• Undertake significant work to move SSSI sites from ‘unfavourable recovering’ to ‘favourable’.

• Enhance the data baseline, particularly for areas outside designated sites, including refresh / ground-truthing priority habitat maps to improve their accuracy and coverage.

• Ensure that activities for nature are consistent with actions arising from the Local Nature Recovery Strategies in Devon and Somerset.

• Focus on habitat creation in the highest priority areas, as per the Lawton hierarchy.

Climate

Adaptation

• Mainstream soil health and regenerative farming and forestry techniques, to build resilience of soils, that will in turn help with infiltration of water and storage of carbon.

• Nature based solutions that build resilience for communities and critical infrastructure, as well as provide a range of co-benefits including for biodiversity, carbon and water quality- e.g. by reducing flooding in the built environment, providing ‘natural sponge’ type functions to store and slowly release water in times of drought and ‘natural filter’ to help improve water quality.

Mitigation

• Produce a comprehensive pathway to net zero by 2026.

Action programme

The table below shows the actions under each of the four themes – Place, People, Nature and Climate.

Acronyms are listed in full in the glossary below the action table.

The targets listed below are the Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcome Framework (PLTOF) targets.

Place

Target / priority	Reference	Actions / projects (new or continuing) Strategic Delivery	Lead partner (Supporting partners)	Targets / milestone Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership (BHNL) delivery / key role
Target 5	1.1	Increase the uptake of appropriate agri-environment scheme (AES) options, aiming for 75%+ uptake of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), to underpin Countryside Stewardship and Landscape Recovery (the three components of Environmental Land Management – ELM).	BHNL (RPA, NE, FC)	Ascertain where the agreements are currently located, where are the gaps in take-up and look to fill these, via land advisory effort that supports farmers and land managers in choosing the most beneficial options.   Aim to increase take-up from agri-environment schemes from 20% to 27% (2017 level).
Target 5	1.2	Support and add value to schemes such as the Luppitt Landscape Recovery Project (Landscape Recovery round 2) and the potential extension to the Upper Axe Landscape Recovery project (round 1), as well as rolling out successful Landscape Recovery type management to other areas in the Blackdown Hills	BHNL (RPA, NE, FC)	Better understand how to add value and articulate what rolling out Landscape Recovery type management looks like, then implement
Target 8[4]	1.3	Undertake significant new tree planting, including orchards, restore undermanaged woodlands (to promote regeneration), and restore/re-establish ‘trees outside woods’ habitats, seeking an additional 1108.76 hectares of tree canopy and woodland cover by 2050   Provide woodland advisory support for willing landowners (including relevant authorities), while applying the ‘right place right tree’ principles. The Somerset and Devon Tree Strategies will help guide and support this	BHNL (FC)	Therefore, 39.6 hectares per year between 2022 and 2050. There are 5,380 ha of woodland covering 14.5% of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape   Brings the total amount of woodland to 9,302.93 hectares (22,988 acres) Obtain data to inform progress towards the target e.g. EWCO Create a shared plan to achieve this target Work with the Somerset and Devon Tree Strategy teams and woodland advisers
Target 10[5]	1.4	Decrease the number of nationally designated heritage assets at risk in Protected Landscapes   There are 770 Listed Buildings and 26 Scheduled Monuments. Of these, eight assets are at risk; this is a minor improvement since 2019	BHNL (HE, DCC)	Review the reasons why the eight assets are still at risk and produce an Action Plan for removing as many as possible off the list, as quickly as possible
Other priorities	1.5	Step up the action needed to tackle Water Framework Directive (WFD) failures (now referred to as the Water Environment Regulations (WER), linked to drinking water quality and supply (including drought), surface quality and downstream coastal waters. This will involve working with land managers, water industry and other delivery partners	BHNL (EA, CSF, East Devon Catchment Partnership)	Support the Culm, Otter and Axe water quality citizen science groups, under the Making Rivers Better banner   Focus significant project effort at improving water quality, via Triple Axe, Connecting the Culm and partnerships projects in the Otter catchment and headwaters of the Tone and Parrett.
Other priorities	1.6	Continue to promote, deliver and advocate for ‘mainstreaming’ natural-based solutions as a mechanism to provide resilience to property and infrastructure, both within the Blackdown Hills National Landscape but also, importantly, downstream where major critical infrastructure is at risk from flooding and where improving resilience is only possible through upstream interventions.	BHNL (All partners)	Nature-based solution interventions rely on land managers to collaborate at scale. The Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership will play a key role here, to help support, incentivise and deliver (Connecting the Culm, Triple Axe).
Other priorities	1.7	Continue to support the farming and land management community through agricultural transition, via farm facilitation support programmes and by responding to ever-changing agricultural policy and the need/incentives to provide ecosystem services for society, including green finance opportunities such as nutrient credits and Biodiversity Net Gain.	BHNL (NFU, CLBA)	The National Landscape Partnership play a key convening, supporting and delivery role here and lead on the farm facilitation work (Blackdown Hills Sustainable Farming Network).
	1.8	Desk based appraisal of the historic environment – use the results to identify where the most significant gaps in understanding are and how they can be addressed. The potential opportunities for community heritage and citizen science projects to help fill those gaps will also be identified.	BHNL (DCC, SWHT)	To be determined.
	1.9	Continue to inform and influence planning policy, decisions and implementation through development of additional planning guidance and other tools and mechanisms, working with local planning authorities. Develop a shared understanding of the potential opportunities and effects of measures such as carbon offsetting, nutrient credits and biodiversity net gain in relation to conserving and enhancing natural beauty.	BHNL (LPAs)	To be determined.

People

Target / priority	Reference	Actions / projects (new or continuing) Strategic Delivery	Lead partner (Supporting partners)	Targets / milestone Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership (BHNL) delivery / key role
Target 5[2][3]	1.1	Increase the uptake of appropriate agri-environment scheme (AES) options, aiming for 75%+ uptake of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), to underpin Countryside Stewardship and Landscape Recovery (the three components of Environmental Land Management – ELM).	BHNL (RPA, NE, FC)	Ascertain where the SFI agreements are currently located, where are the gaps in take-up and look to fill these, via land advisory effort that supports farmers and land managers in choosing the most beneficial options.   Aim to increase take-up from agri-environment schemes from 20% to 27% (2017 level).
Target 5	1.2	Support and add value to schemes such as the Luppitt Landscape Recovery Project (Landscape Recovery round 2) and the potential extension to the Upper Axe Landscape Recovery project (round 1), as well as rolling out successful Landscape Recovery type management to other areas in the Blackdown Hills	BHNL (RPA, NE, FC)	Better understand how to add value and articulate what rolling out Landscape Recovery type management looks like, then implement
Target 8[4]	1.3	Undertake significant new tree planting, including orchards, restore undermanaged woodlands (to promote regeneration), and restore/re-establish ‘trees outside woods’ habitats, seeking an additional 1108.76 hectares of tree canopy and woodland cover by 2050   Provide woodland advisory support for willing landowners (including relevant authorities), while applying the ‘right place right tree’ principles. The Somerset and Devon Tree Strategies will help guide and support this	BHNL (FC)	Therefore, 39.6 hectares per year between 2022 and 2050. There are 5,380 ha of woodland covering 14.5% of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape   Brings the total amount of woodland to 9,302.93 hectares (22,988 acres) Obtain data to inform progress towards the target e.g. EWCO Create a shared plan to achieve this target Work with the Somerset and Devon Tree Strategy teams and woodland advisers
Target 10[5]	1.4	Decrease the number of nationally designated heritage assets at risk in Protected Landscapes   There are 770 Listed Buildings and 26 Scheduled Monuments. Of these, eight assets are at risk; this is a minor improvement since 2019	BHNL (HE, DCC)	Review the reasons why the eight assets are still at risk and produce an Action Plan for removing as many as possible off the list, as quickly as possible
Other priorities	1.5	Step up the action needed to tackle Water Framework Directive (WFD) failures (now referred to as the Water Environment Regulations (WER), linked to drinking water quality and supply (including drought), surface quality and downstream coastal waters. This will involve working with land managers, water industry and other delivery partners	BHNL (EA, CSF, East Devon Catchment Partnership)	Support the Culm, Otter and Axe water quality citizen science groups, under the Making Rivers Better banner   Focus significant project effort at improving water quality, via Triple Axe, Connecting the Culm and partnerships projects in the Otter catchment and headwaters of the Tone and Parrett.
Other priorities	1.6	Continue to promote, deliver and advocate for ‘mainstreaming’ natural-based solutions as a mechanism to provide resilience to property and infrastructure, both within the Blackdown Hills National Landscape but also, importantly, downstream where major critical infrastructure is at risk from flooding and where improving resilience is only possible through upstream interventions.	BHNL (All partners)	Nature-based solution interventions rely on land managers to collaborate at scale. The Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership will play a key role here, to help support, incentivise and deliver (Connecting the Culm, Triple Axe).
Other priorities	1.7	Continue to support the farming and land management community through agricultural transition, via farm facilitation support programmes and by responding to ever-changing agricultural policy and the need/incentives to provide ecosystem services for society, including green finance opportunities such as nutrient credits and Biodiversity Net Gain.	BHNL (NFU, CLBA)	The National Landscape Partnership play a key convening, supporting and delivery role here and lead on the farm facilitation work (Blackdown Hills Sustainable Farming Network).
	1.8	Desk based appraisal of the historic environment – use the results to identify where the most significant gaps in understanding are and how they can be addressed. The potential opportunities for community heritage and citizen science projects to help fill those gaps will also be identified.	BHNL (DCC, SWHT)	To be determined.
	1.9	Continue to inform and influence planning policy, decisions and implementation through development of additional planning guidance and other tools and mechanisms, working with local planning authorities. Develop a shared understanding of the potential opportunities and effects of measures such as carbon offsetting, nutrient credits and biodiversity net gain in relation to conserving and enhancing natural beauty.	BHNL (LPAs)	To be determined.

Nature

Target / priority	Reference	Actions / projects (new or continuing) Strategic Delivery	Lead partner (supporting partners)	Targets / milestone  Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership (BHNL) delivery / key role
Target 4	3.1	Restore all priority habitat to a favourable condition	BHNL (All partners, FC, FE, LNRS responsible authorities)	There are 4,724.43 ha of priority habitats covering 12.8% of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape   There are 867 ha of ancient woodland covering 2.3% of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape.   Investigate PAWS woodland and create an Action Plan   Prioritise improving the condition of priority habitat (and ensuring no deterioration) via actions 1.1 to 1.4 listed above
Target 4	3.2	Enhance the data baseline, particularly for areas outside designated sites, including refresh / ground-truthing priority habitat maps to improve their accuracy and coverage.	BHNL (All partners)	Note that the priority habitat inventory (PHI) is not considered definitive and underestimates the true extent of priority habitat. Other habitat inventories also underestimate the extent of habitat within mosaics   Ascertain (by proxy) what condition all priority habitat is currently in, making assumptions e.g. best case (based on Devon Wildlife Trust data) is 50%   45% of woodland is in ‘active management’
Target 4	3.3	Conserve and restore the characteristic ‘patchwork’ landscapes and habitat features for the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, particularly springline mires.	BHNL (All partners)	Value additional co-benefits including, integrated natural capital benefits from nature recovery include carbon budgets, catchment-scale improvements to fluvial management, well-being benefits from access and recreation, and cultural and heritage enhancements.
Target 2 and 3	3.4	Undertake significant work to move SSSI sites from ‘unfavourable recovering’ to ‘favourable’.	BHNL (NE)	This will require more condition surveying by Natural England and more incentives through Environmental Land Management (ELM) and other schemes, backed up by trusted local advisers.   The current status of SSSI condition in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape is that only 16.3% is in favourable condition. 94% is in a favourable or unfavourable recovering condition. There is one Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, currently failing to meet its conservation targets (marsh fritillary butterfly)
Target 1	3.5	Focus on habitat creation in the highest priority areas, as per the Lawton hierarchy. [See habitat network opportunity/targeting map]	BHNL (NE, LNRS responsible authorities)	If the target was on a pro rata basis for the Blackdown Hills National Landscape area without any local factors this would be 2,919.10 ha. This would be equivalent to 145.96 ha per year between 2022 and 2042.Use the Blackdown Hills National Landscape Nature Recovery Plan to work with partners to agree how this target can be achieved

Climate

Target / priority	Reference	Actions / projects (new or continuing) Strategic Delivery	Lead partner (supporting partners)	Targets / milestone  Blackdown Hills National Landscape Partnership (BHNL) delivery / key role
Mitigation: Target 6 and actions for shallow/ peaty pockets	4.1	Produce a comprehensive pathway to net zero for the Blackdown Hills National Landscape following these steps agreed among the National Landscapes family:	BHNL (DCC, EDDC, MDDC, SC)	Using the greenhouse gas emission data from government (and other data sources) to identify key areas of emissions, Identify the areas in which the Blackdown Hills National Landscape partnership and its key partners can directly influence progress towards net zero, and collaborate with local authorities, businesses, and other relevant stakeholders to address emissions beyond the partnership’s jurisdiction. Prioritise areas for immediate impact and plan how to engage stakeholders to reduce emissions or promote land use changes for carbon sequestration Coordinate with existing plans and integrate climate action plans with nature recovery strategies to create a cohesive approach to climate action.  Evaluate the feasibility and interdependencies of different actions and identify potential barriers to implementation.  Develop planned actions for the short, medium, and long term to meet Net Zero targets
Adaptation	4.2	Produce a climate change adaptation management plan for the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, linked with this management plan by 2028, and all future plans.	BHNL (DCC, EDDC, MDDC, SC)	Work collaboratively to address the risks and actions identified in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape climate change adaptation plan, seeking to highlight where actions from the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Adaptation Plan and Somerset Climate Emergency Strategy to build resilience and allow communities and the natural world to adapt, can be most effective.
Adaptation	4.3			Refine the climate adaptation risk assessment matrix already drafted, which identifies the climate risks in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape and use the information to develop the required climate adaptation plan for the area.

Glossary

BHNL	Blackdown Hills National Landscape	LA	Local Authority
EDNL	East Devon National Landscape	LNP	Local Nature Partnership
MHNL	Mendip Hills National Landscape	LPA	Local Planning Authority
NLA	National Landscapes Association	LWS	Local Wildlife Site
QHNL	Quantock Hills National Landscape	MDDC	Mid Devon District Council
BHPN	Blackdown Hills Parish Network	NE	Natural England
BHRGA	Blackdown Hills Rough Grazing Association	NT	National Trust
BC	Butterfly Conservation	OSG	Officer Support Group
DBRC	Devon Biodiversity Records Centre	PC	Parish Councils
DCC	Devon County Council	PMG	Partnership Management Group
DLPG	Devon Landscape Policy Group	SC	Somerset Council
DWT	Devon Wildlife Trust	SDF	Sustainable Development Fund
EA	Environment Agency	SERC	Somerset Environmental Records Centre
EDCP	East Devon Catchment Partnership	SM	Scheduled Monument
EDDC	East Devon District Council	SWHT	South West Heritage Trust
FWAGSW	FWAG South West	SWT	Somerset Wildlife Trust
FC	Forestry Commission	WRT	Westcountry Rivers Trust
FF	Facilitation Fund	WT	Woodland Trust
HE	Historic England
NLHF	National Lottery Heritage Fund