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<p>To support the development of Environmental Land Management (ELM), the Government
is undertaking a number of tests and trials, working with farmers and land managers
to co-design the new schemes. These tests and trials will help us to assess how the
scheme could work in a real life environment. Three of our tests and trials look at
issues concerning access.</p><p><strong>1. The Trails Trust, <em>How to incentivise
green infrastructure access and biodiversity creation</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>
</em></strong></p><p>The Trails Trust will work with 50 farmers and land managers
in the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to explore the barriers
and potential solutions to creating, upgrading and maintaining infrastructure networks.
The test will look at the willingness of farmers and land managers to create, enhance
and maintain access across different acreages and land uses. The test will also explore
the valuation of incentives that landowners would require to implement access rights
along specified routes. The test is due to conclude at the end of June 2021.</p><p><strong>2.
Kent Downs AONB, <em>Enhancing access opportunities</em>, as part of the NAAONBs (National
Association of AONBs) submission</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>This proposal
was submitted by the NAAONB on behalf of 12 individual AONBs, one of which included
the Kent Downs AONB. The Kent Downs AONB’s test is working with two farmers/land manager
groups to identify the barriers to access to landscapes and nature and co-develop
a template of practical ways through which ELM can support better and more diverse
access. Local trusted experts will work with farmers and land managers and their representative
organisations to explore existing best practice; experts in access health and wellbeing
will be involved to assess benefits and barriers. The test is due to complete by March
2021.</p><p><strong>3. South Downs National Park Authority, <em>South Downs and the
Land App</em></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>South Downs National Park Authority
is working with the Land App, a GIS mapping system developed for farmers, to collate
maps and data about their holding in one user-friendly place. The proposal will work
with farmers from the South Downs farm clusters and use the Land App and the data
it holds to evaluate and plan the delivery of public goods at a landscape (cluster
or part cluster) scale. This includes working with the Winchester Downs Cluster group
who will focus on public access issues and opportunities. The test is due to complete
by mid-July 2020.</p>
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