Press release: International conference in Durham brings together conservation practitioners from over 20 countries

18 October 2024

The Eurosite 2024 Annual Meeting, hosted by the North Pennines National Landscape team, is taking place in Durham from 22 to 24 October. Bringing together conservation practitioners and organisations from across the UK and Europe, the conference will discuss conservation strategies in the EU and UK and how these can improve outcomes for nature.

Harm Schoten, Director of Eurosite, said: “We believe that the role of land managers and landowners is essential in meeting our environmental and nature goals. With the right socio-economic incentives, collaboration across sectors can flourish. This gathering is particularly significant, as it reinforces the vital connections between the UK and the rest of Europe in our shared efforts for nature and climate.”

In total 140 participants from over 20 European countries will meet in Durham. The programme will address nature and conservation policy, how conservation is funded, ways to manage conservation efforts on a landscape scale, and how working in partnership can drive action for nature.

One of the keynote presentations will be delivered by David Renwick, Natural England’s area director for the North, bringing his perspective on conservation and nature recovery in the region. In addition, Steph Hepworth will be sharing how Nature North is working to build a northern partnership for nature, aiming to attract significant new public and private investment into large scale nature recovery, with benefits for the economy, green jobs, resilience to climate change and quality of life in the north. Nature North is currently developing a strategic investment plan for nature recovery in the north of England, due to launch in February 2025.

The attendees will have an opportunity to see how organisations in the region are working at scale for conservation and nature recovery. A field visit to Hadrian’s Wall, hosted by Northumberland National Park Authority, will reveal one of the most iconic treasures of the North East’s historic environment.

A trip into Teesdale with the North Pennines National Landscape team will outline how working with upland farmers and supporting the lower intensity farming methods typical of this area, brings wide benefits for wildlife and biodiversity.

The peatlands of the high North Pennines are vital to efforts to address climate change. Visitors will see how the North Pennines National Landscape team is restoring remote peatland sites in what is the largest contiguous expanse of blanket bog in England.

The North Pennines National Landscape team has been working to develop a robust green finance model, to help bridge the gap between available public funding and the sums needed to take effective action for conservation. At the conference the team’s Peatland Programme Manager, Paul Leadbitter, will discuss this nature-positive, blended finance approach that has helped to finance the large-scale peatland restoration in the northern uplands.

Paul Leadbitter said: “This international conference will showcase the North of England’s nature, highlighting examples of the landscape scale work, green investment and partnerships that are making a difference here in the UK.

“It’s also an opportunity to strengthen the international collaboration across this sector. We’ve been very fortunate, as the North Pennines National Landscape, to have been able to work across borders through our membership of Eurosite, bringing greater knowledge and innovation to the work that we do here for people, nature and climate.”

For over 30 years, Eurosite has been a leading platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among European conservationists. The Annual Meeting will strengthen the work of government agencies, organisations and land managers to protect Europe’s natural landscapes.

The North Pennines is the second largest of the UK’s National Landscapes and is also a UNESCO Global Geopark in recognition of its world class geological heritage. It is a place of wide-open spaces, precious peatlands, abundant upland wildlife, species-rich hay meadows and high nature value farmers. The National Landscape team takes action to conserve and enhance the natural beauty and special qualities of this area.

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Media contacts:
Contact Sarah Hudspeth, Communications Lead from the North Pennines National Landscape team for further information – communications@northpennines.org.uk Phone: 01388 528801 / 07768 123247. Eurosite Communications, email: info@eurosite.org