‘Habitats and Hillforts has been launched’
Cheshire County Council and partners have received £1,395,000 of
funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund
(HLF). The money will be used to conserve the Ridge’s six Iron Age
hillforts and wildlife habitats and encourage more people to visit,
learn about and become more involved in the area’s landscape
heritage. Visit the Habitats and Hillforts
website .
Welcome to the Sandstone Ridge ECOnet Partnership (SREP)
The Sandstone Ridge Vision
The aim of the Sandstone Ridge ECOnet Partnership is to create
an interconnected network of woodlands, heathlands, peatlands,
wetlands and grasslands along the Ridge to provide benefits for
people and wildlife. The creation of this "ecological network" will
take shape over many years, and will have a lasting impact on
everyone who lives and works in the area. The Sandstone Ridge
ECOnet Partnership will be made up of a number of individual
projects which, together over time will:
Expand and link areas for wildlife
- Increase public enjoyment of the landscape
- Celebrate the local cultural associations with the
landscape
- Support rural skills through training
- Coordinate and improve the interpretation of this unique
landscape for education and enjoyment.
The Partnership is the latest phase in Cheshire County Council's
long-term ambition to create an ecological network in Cheshire by
2020AD.
What is special about the Sandstone Ridge?
The Sandstone Ridge ECOnet Partnership is located along the
Mid-Cheshire Sandstone ridge, between Frodsham and Bickerton, and
includes:
- An area covering 22,000 hectares or 10% of Cheshire
- A population of 34,000 people
- The pre-eminent landscape feature in Cheshire which has had a
significant impact on the cultural, social and environmental
history and character of the county.
- Extensive heritage interests including 3 Areas of Special Value
for Landscape (ASCVs), 14 Sites of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSIs - 7 of which are of European importance), 88 Sites of
Biological Importance (SBIs), 78 meres and mosses, 28 ancient
woodlands, 9 hillforts, 4 Roman Roads, 305 listed buildings, 40
Scheduled Monuments, 87 medieval sites, 20 ancient burial
grounds.
SREP will maximise the area's existing qualities and look for
new project's that will improve them.
Want to get involved?
If you have an idea for a project, or know of a local
organisation, business or community group that could benefit from
funding and would like to be involved in the Partnership then
please contact:
Ellie Soper
Tel: 01244 973195
The Partnership Board was set up in 2005 to work with the
wider community to make the project a success and turn ideas into
real improvements on the ground - Minutes of
SREP Board meetings.
SREP eNews
Please take a look at our newsletter, it will provide you with
interesting information SREP news and events.