Nature and farming funding for 13 South West locations

The government said 13 projects would help produce food sustainably in the South West

Farmers and land managers across the south-west of England have been given funding to deliver large-scale projects to boost nature and farming.

The government said the 13 Landscape Recovery projects would "produce food sustainably while delivering for the environment".

It said more than 55,000 hectares, which include parts of Exmoor, Dartmoor, Penwith, in Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly, would benefit.

The plans are part of a government announcement, which includes England getting a new national park.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said the south-west of England contained "some of the richest farmland and most important habitats in England".

"Today's Landscape Recovery investment will bring farmers, landowners and others together to take actions to enable both nature and food production to thrive.

"The scheme is already delivering on a large scale through 22 existing projects around the country, and I'm pleased we’re able to offer additional support in the region through a further 13 exciting projects.”

Other projects announced included putting £15m into protected places, and new funding to encourage more children to go outdoors and into the countryside.

Chair of Natural England Tony Juniper said it would "support some of our most precious habitats and sites for nature, help tackle climate change and improve the health of our waterways".

The projects include:

• The Brit Catchment Recovery - committing land managers to a 50-year plus landscape-scale ecosystem restoration project

• ‘Win’ning the Allen - landowners along the River Allen to safeguard more than 31 miles (50km) of chalk stream

• Reviving Exmoor's Heartland projects - to revitalise the central moorlands and associated farmland

• Landscape Recovery in the Lower Chew

• Central Dartmoor Landscape Recovery

• Heaths to Sea: Landscape recovery of the Lower Otter valley

• Penwith Landscape Recovery

• The Walkham Valley Landscape Recovery Project

• Luppitt Landscape Partnership

• Small is Beautiful – Landscape Recovery on the Isles of Scilly

• Arlington Estate nature recovery and connection to Exmoor

• Greater Sedgemoor Landscape Recovery Project

• Wylye Chalk Stream Project