Gain has been appointed by Cornwall Council to help deliver the tree and woodland planting targets for the Council’s ‘Forest for Cornwall’ initiative. This a major, ongoing project, due to complete in 2025.
The work involves partnering with landowners to develop their woodland planting ambitions. Phase 1 involves understanding sites, the constraints and opportunities for woodland planting and agroforestry, scoping designs and the best routes to funding, depending on the plans. Phase 2 involves working up the schemes to full woodland planting design and working with landowners to submit funding applications.
Gain was appointed by Natural England to produce joint guidance for the production of Management Plans for National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and The Broads. The guidance takes forward the government commitment made in its response to the Glover Review of Protected Landscapes.
The guidance is comprehensive, covering context and background of protected landscapes, policy and legislative frameworks, processes of production, creating content and plan delivery. The guidance covers the role of Protected Landscapes Management Plans and Partnerships in several key initiatives, including their critical role in delivering 30 by 30 and tackling climate change.
Gain liaised with a steering group of Protected Landscapes managers and several working groups from both National Parks and AONBs. The guidance is now in text format, awaiting further consultation across the Protected Landscapes family and the intention is for the final guidance to be a web based resource for use by Protected Landscapes across the country.
Bodmin Open Spaces Strategy
Gain has completed a comprehensive Open Spaces Strategy on behalf of Bodmin Town Council. The Bodmin Open Spaces Strategy is in two parts.
Part I is the strategic assessment which establishes if Bodmin has enough of the right types of open spaces and whether the are close enough to the communities that they serve. It reinforces the size of new open space to be delivered via new strategic developments in Bodmin. The strategy also establishes key management principles for Bodmin Town Council’s Open Spaces and outlines future strategic open space projects. The strategy was informed by the results of a comprehensive community consultation.
Part II examines 19 parks and open spaces under the management of Bodmin Town Council. It sets out a detailed profile, describing the open space and identifies pressures and condition issues, making recommendations for future management.
The Cornwall Landscape Character Assessment Review
Gain supported Land Use Consultants in the production of a new Landscape Character Assessment for Cornwall, using our in-depth knowledge of Cornwall’s unique landscapes. The revision of Cornwall’s LCA involved creating a character types map for Cornwall, reviewing and remapping of Character Area boundaries, revision of the Landscape Character Area descriptions and, importantly, a review of the local planning designation of Areas of Great Landscape Value (AGLV).
The Cornwall AONB - Protected Landscapes Investment Bank Project
Gain supported the Cornwall AONB Partnership to develop ‘Payments for Ecosystem Services’ (PES) projects, working with a farmer cluster group on the Lizard Peninsula. The project was funded by Defra’s Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund. A summary of the project can be found on the Cornwall AONB website.
Gain worked closely with the farmer group to examine the on-farm potential for the delivery of woodland carbon, biodiversity units and water quality enhancements. Gain led the exploration of the ‘buyer’ side of the investment equation, undertaking market testing interviews with a range of potential investor businesses. Gain then supported fellow consultancy Terranomics to develop the investment offer.
Gain produced a comprehensive, holistic and long-term Management Plan for the beautiful 700 acre Bantham Estate, in the South Devon AONB. The Management Plan sets out a comprehensive suite of works across the Estate to 2034 to grow nature, conserve heritage, mitigate climate change, support communities and to move the Estate towards net zero.
The Plan also includes development projects intended to ensure the long-term, sustainable operation of the Estate, coupled with design principles to ensure future built development conserves and enhances the protected landscape. The project was undertaken with the involvement of the South Devon AONB.
Gain produced a number of evidence bases to underpin the Plan, including Landscape Character Appraisal, Nature and Natural Capital Appraisal and Socio-Economic Assessment. We also worked with the fabulous Statement Heritage to produce detailed information about built heritage and the historic landscape of the Estate.
The Cornwall AONB, Defra Test Trial
Gain has been the lead consultant taking forward this 18-month long Defra funded research project for the Cornwall AONB. We worked with a great group of farmers down on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, partnering with the University of Exeter and FWAG South West, pathfinding approaches to the new UK system of agri-environment support. Check out Field Notes for more info and see the results of the whole trial on the Cornwall AONB website
Eden Project National Wildflower Centre
Gain is an associate consultancy with the Eden Project and has been providing technical advice on the creation of new wildflower landscapes for major road schemes since 2019, including ongoing work providing technical advice for the innovative creation of new wildflower and heathland landscapes along the corridor of the proposed new dual carriageway link between the A30 and St Austell. We have also been supporting the National Wildflower Centre itself, developing a five-year business plan, and supporting the growth of this important arm of Eden Project Ltd.
G7 Legacy Project: Farm Management Plan
Gain were appointed by the G7 Legacy Project, being managed in partnership by Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Natural England. The work involved the mapping of natural capital and land management opportunities to improve nature and other ecosystem services across a 400Ha holding in the sensitive headwaters of the Fal River, close to the Goss Moor National Nature Reserve. Colette Beckham worked closely with the landowners regarding the production of the plan, which also included a comprehensive assessment of current and future options to finance the opportunities, both public and private.
Gainsborough Park Ecological Survey and Management Plan
Gainsborough Park is a residential park near Foxhole in the heart of clay country in mid-Cornwall. The park owns a significant amount of land, over 15 Ha, around the residences, much of which is priority habitat wet heath. Gain undertook a UKHab Classification of the whole site and produced an ecological management plan and action plan, setting out an approach for management to maintain and enhance the condition of this special site for wildlife.
Ekopod Ecological Survey and Management Plan
Gain undertook an ecological survey and UkHab Classification of Ekopod, an awesome five-acre glamping site, set in tranquil Cornish countryside, close to Bodmin Moor. We used the survey results to produce a comprehensive Ecological Management Plan for the site which will enable Ekopod to achieve positive management for nature, long-term.
The Landscape Institute - Competency Framework
Gain was commissioned by the Landscape Institute to author seven aspects of the LI’s new Competency Framework, aimed at making their Pathway to Chartership more inclusive for a wider range of landscape professionals.
Colette Beckham authored the following competencies on behalf of the Institute, reflecting her broad experiences across many spheres of landscape practice.
