The Land Use Plus project is working strategically to improve food production practices that impact on nature recovery and climate change.
What is Land Use Plus?
The project is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, and supports Brighton and Hove City Council’s far reaching City Downland Estate Plan and the UNESCO Living Coast Biosphere
We are working with farmers, ecologists, local councils and national food and farming organisations to explore Land Use in a local and national context.
Through the Land Use Plus project we aim to:
- Encourage nature friendly farming that both produces food and protects and restores rare local habitats.
- Increase local awareness of the environmental impacts of food production.
- Develop and improve local supply chains.
- Support a joined-up approach to land use in the local area, connecting food production with the environment and spaces for people.
Read more about our aims.
The Land Use Plus project aims to bring the differing points of view of a wide range of stakeholders together to create multiuse land which provides food, spaces for people, an opportunity for education and greater connectivity, whilst protecting and restoring nature.
This will contribute to advancing national discussion on how food production can be done differently, and what land owned by local authorities could be delivering for society.
Why is it important? Protecting our ‘European rainforest’
Chalk grassland is sometimes referred to as the “European rainforest” due to the incredible diversity of protected and designated species of plants and animals which can be found in it. This project aims to knit back together the patches of this unique world habitat which are found throughout the South Downs.
Food and agriculture systems locally and nationally can contribute to damaging the local environment when they should be part of the solution to our nature & climate challenges.
This can be achieved by supporting farming in a nature friendly manner; through identifying and facilitating training, payment schemes, and diversification opportunities.
Connecting people and food
The connection between people and place is a key theme which is explored in the City Downland Estate Plan.
This feeds into the Land Use Plus Plan as we work to reconnect the public with their local food supply, and increase understanding of where and how food is sourced. Key to this will be creating new, local, supply chains to unite farmers and citizens.
If you are a farmer, we have compiled useful resources for established farmers and new entrants looking to move towards more nature friendly methods. We will also be offering free farmer-led training during the course of the project.
We want to hear about your experience of farming here on the Downs and there will be opportunities to share this knowledge through events and research projects.
Find out more
This is a complex project with long-term strategic aims but there are ways in which you can follow our progress and get involved.
To read more about the project and how it is progressing, check out the Land Use Plus blog. Blog updates are also shared in our email newsletters.
Watch out for Land Use Plus events, including our annual food and farming conference.
To find out more or get involved, contact Sophie, the Land Use Plus Project Manager, at sophie@bhfood.org.uk.
