Climate change and natural environment

Our vision

Westmorland and Furness Council have committed to ensure that the council is carbon net zero as soon as possible and that the area it serves is carbon net zero by 2037.

Our response to the climate and biodiversity crises

Our Climate Change Action Plan Part One and Two show the commitment and direction of travel Westmorland and Furness are taking in responding to the climate crises. These plans have the actions the council are taking to transition to net zero.

We are:

Constructing a new 2MW solar farm in Barrow;
Committing £1 million for local sustainable transport schemes from our Priority Investment Fund;
Developing an electric vehicle infrastructure strategy to install more charging points across Westmorland and Furness, with £4 million funding from the Government LEVI scheme;
A bronze accredited Carbon Literate organisation and working towards silver accreditation;
Building on the recommendations of the two Citizens Juries, held in Barrow-in-Furness and Kendal and working on ways to engage more with our communities;
Published the Climate Change Action Plan Part Two, following engagement, which will set out our road map to net zero;
Planting one tree for every resident; including information about our community tree and hedgerow planting fund.
Working with the Cumbria Local Resilience Forum to identify risks and prepare for the impacts caused by our changing climate;
Published a Nature and Biodiversity Action Plan Part One and developing the Part Two action plan
Leading on the Cumbria-wide Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Key plans and documents

These plans and documents underpin our core council value to be ‘ecologically aware’.

They outline the direction and intention of the council to address climate change and biodiversity loss, provide leadership in the drive to become carbon net zero, and create a greener, healthier, more resilient Westmorland and Furness.

Read about what action we’re taking, and committing to take, to redress damage and protect our environment for the long-term, and how we’re working collaboratively with our residents, communities, businesses and partners to develop, deliver and support meaningful initiatives and projects.

For accessible versions and alternative formats of these documents, please email ClimateAction@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

Natural Flood Management Grant - Bitter Beck and Tom Rudd Beck

We're looking to appoint an experienced delivery partner to undertake natural flood management (NFM) work in the Bitter Beck and Tom Rudd Beck area as part of the CiFR (Cumbria Innovative Flood Resilience) programme.

The package of works to be delivered is described in the prospectus below, which also describes the application process and eligibility criteria.

CiFR Natural Flood Management Application Form - Bitter Beck and Tom Rudd Beck (DOC , 98KB)

CiFR Phase One Bitter Beck and Tom Rudd Beck Natural Flood Management Prospectus (PDF , 592KB)

This package of works is the first phase of the CiFR programme’s NFM activity in the area and additional phases of works are likely to be advertised over time.

If you would like more information, or want to arrange a conversation around the work described, then please email CiFR@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.

Natural Flood Management Grant - Warcop

We're looking to appoint an experienced delivery partner to undertake natural flood management (NFM) work in the Warcop area as part of the CiFR (Cumbria Innovative Flood Resilience) programme.

The package of works to be delivered is described in the prospectus below, which also describes the application process and eligibility criteria.

CiFR Natural Flood Management Application Form - Warcop (DOC , 98KB)

CiFR Natural Flood Management Warcop Prospectus (PDF , 2MB)

If you would like more information, or want to arrange a conversation around the work described, then please email CiFR@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.

Coronation Community Orchard Fund

This £50,000 fund will support community groups, schools, charities and other organisations to establish community orchards in their local area in celebration of the King’s coronation.

The fund aims to support the planting of accessible community orchards across Westmorland and Furness.

The Coronation Community Orchard Fund will award grants up to £10,000 per group.

Applications are now closed. This page will be updated once grant funding has been allocated.

Please send any enquiries to futuretrees@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.

Planting for Pollinators

The Planting for Pollinators project, funded by Westmorland and Furness Council, has empowered Cumbria Wildlife Trust to create and nurture flower-rich habitats aimed at restoring diversity and abundance.

The primary goal of the Planting for Pollinators project is to reverse the decline of pollinators in Cumbria. We are implementing pollinator-friendly initiatives in the Barrow, South Lakeland, and Eden areas, establishing habitats that support pollinators in community spaces.

So far, in 2023 to 2024, the project has created or restored approximately six hectares of habitat across 11 different sites in Barrow and South Lakeland. In 2024 to 25, the project is working across nine new sites in South Lakeland and Eden, and three additional sites in Kendal through funding from Kendal Town Council.

Our efforts focus on creating, improving, and connecting a network of pollinator-friendly habitats, providing essential food, shelter, and nesting places for bees, butterflies, wasps, and other insects.

Some of the sites developed and restored through this project include Queen’s Park (Windermere), Ford Park (Ulverston), Goose Green (Dalton), Lesh Lane (Barrow), and Noble’s Rest (Kendal). A special thank you goes out to all the volunteers who have generously contributed their time to the project and to Cumbria Wildlife Trust for delivering the project.

Rural Net Zero Project

Westmorland and Furness Council, alongside Cumbria Action for Sustainability, Cumbria Tourism, Fell Brewery, Holker Estate and Playdale received £150,000 in follow-up funding from Innovate UK to build capacity and capability to help address our net zero transition. The follow-up funding from Innovate UK will build on the Phase 1 Feasibility Study led by the former South Lakeland District Council, which identified non-technical barriers to net zero.

The funding allows us to maintain the relationships, interest and momentum of Phase 1, enabling us to deepen our understanding of non-technical barriers associated with decarbonisation of food systems and business processes, and to progress the options for addressing them.

Our project objectives include:

recognising the potential of circular economy to overcome non-technical barriers to net zero
recognising the gaps in green finance expertise by exploring innovative methods to finance low carbon projects
building on existing initiatives of our project team to reduce carbon emissions from food systems
continuing to work collaboratively, to advocate for co-design processes in net zero project and policy developments

Climate and Nature Partnership Fund

The fund aims to support collaborative partnership working to tackle climate change, support nature recovery and ensure a fair transition to a low carbon future for our communities in Westmorland and Furness.

This fund has allowed us to support 24 different partnerships that are working on an exciting variety of projects across Westmorland and Furness, and Cumbria as a whole:

Partnership projects across Cumbria
Partnership	Lead applicant	Project Aim
Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape	Arnside and Silverdale AONB	Strengthen the capacity and resilience of the national landscape team and local communities to transform the ability to respond to the climate and nature crisis.
Branching out in Barrow	RAISE - Cumbria Community Forrest	Establish tree planting in three areas of Barrow identified as needing environmental improvements.
Community Collective	Lakeland Arts	Inter-generational conversations, empowering local voices regarding climate activism and erosion of biodiversity.
Coniston Environment Partnership	Coniston Parish Council	Identification of projects that would protect and enhance biodiversity whilst creating a positive amenity for the parish.
Cumbria Local Visitor Economy Partnership	Cumbria Tourism	To develop and implement place-based sustainable and active travel plans.
Cumbria Peat Partnership	Cumbria Wildlife Trust	Identify and develop restoration sites, improve, and maintain peatland nature reserves, and deliver peatland restoration.
Cumbrian Peatland Restoration Partnership	University of Cumbria	Part funding a PhD at the University of Cumbria. "Wool as a novel material in the restoration of severely degraded peatlands".
Eden Catchment Partnership	Eden Rivers Trust	Improving invasive species management around Eden's lakes and rivers. Outcomes will be increased knowledge, improved wetland habitat and biodiversity, improved water quality, reduced erosion and behaviour change in water users.
Flourishing Ulverston	Mycellium Thinking CIC	To co-create groundbreaking creative schemes to transition into a zero emission arts and cultural sector in Ulverston.
Grange to Arnside Trail	Morecambe Bay Partnership	Increase capacity to enable progression of a range of activities focused on developing the Grange to Arnside trail project.
Land and Nature Skills Service Partnership	Cumbria Chamber of Commerce	Connect people with learning and training opportunities relevant to land and nature-based work.
Love Windermere	Freshwater Biological Association	To have a better understanding of Windermere's water quality, allowing for rejuvenation.
Love Windermere Partnership	Lake District Foundation	Working with farmers across the Windermere catchment to help reduce nutrient runoff.
Lynster Farmers Group	Lynster Farmers Group	Supported by scientists and engineers to: Optimise the Yields, Inspire the Young, Improve the Environment, Reduce Emissions, Increase Sequestration and Enable Vital Societies.
Nutrient Neutrality Project Board	Lake District National Park Authority	Ensure new development doesn't cause further harm to water environment where nutrient pollution is already having adverse impacts on protected habitat sites.
Ormsgill Community Garden	BarrowFull	Enabling BarrowFull to continue working with Ormsgill Stronger Together and Brathy Trust to run community bulb planting.
People and Nature Network	West Cumbria Rivers Trust	Help to develop Cumbria's nature recovery network. Their website will link people with nature activities across Cumbria.
People Planet Pocket	People Planet Pocket CIC	Running a series of Fix Fests, with the ideas of reusing, upcycling, fixing, and mending, lending, sharing and circular economy a focus to help promote carbon reducing behaviour change.
Paths to Leadership: Active Community Engagement (PLACE)	Cumbria Development Education Centre	How youth-led behaviour can lead to sustainable, locally informed and agreed actions.
Sustainability and Energy Network in Staveley	SENS	Initiatives to tackle the climate crisis and biodiversity and to promote sustainability in action.
The Life of the Park	Octopus Collective Ltd (Trading as Full of Noise)	Developing and measuring biodiversity in Barrow Park to explore climate change effects on a micro-level through artist sessions.
Wild Walney	Art Gene	Helping to enhance the biodiversity of Walney through volunteer sessions.
Windermere Science Festivals	Windermere Science Festivals CIC	Empowering community groups to deliver benefits for their community needs. Addressing biodiversity loss, encouraging sustainable land-use, reducing species loss, improving green spaces and supporting more sustainable local food systems.
Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP)	Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)	Maximising the benefits of current lottery funded partnership activity and ensure the legacy of the programme is embedded. The fund also helps to run ZCCP’s four emissions sector groups, deliver the inaugural Zero Carbon Cumbria summit 2024, and support community-led environmental activities. The funding also helps CAfS to develop its retrofit advice service.

Grey squirrel policy

Grey squirrels were introduced to the UK from North America. They're an invasive species in Westmorland and Furness, and are spreading throughout Cumbria. Grey squirrels threaten biodiversity, particularly native red squirrels. They also cause significant economic damage to forestry.

Our grey squirrel policy (PDF , 111KB) is part of the solution to protect red squirrels, meet our legal requirements and to reduce economic losses in the forestry industry.

Peatlands

Peatlands are one of our most valuable natural assets in the fight against climate change. These unique landscapes store vast amounts of carbon, support biodiversity, and help manage flood risk.

Why peatlands are important (PDF , 227KB)

This document explains why peatlands matter. It also details the work of our partners, who are helping to restore and protect these vital ecosystems. You can also find out how to get involved with the organisations below:

Reducing your carbon footprint

Cumbria Action for Sustainability have calculators you can use to see how much carbon you use personally, or as a small to medium business: CAfS carbon footprint calculators - CAfS
To get involved in climate action with your local community, Zero Carbon Cumbria can help you find a group in your area: Find your local group - Zero Carbon Cumbria - Carbon reduction action across the county.
Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has guidance for businesses: Net Zero | Cumbria LEP (CLEP) (thecumbrialep.co.uk)

Climate and nature newsletter

For stories tips and information about how we can work together to tackle climate change, including:

steps we’re taking to reduce our carbon emissions and protect our local environment
ways we can work together to make sustainable choices
saving money and energy at home

Get our climate and nature newsletter

Read previous editions:

Cumbria Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Cumbria is one of 48 strategy areas that are required by the Environment Act to develop a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for their area by March 2025. A ‘Responsible Authority’ has been appointed for each strategy area to lead on the preparation of their LNRS; Westmorland and Furness Council are the Responsible Authority for the Cumbria LNRS.

Find out what an LNRS is and to get involved in the development process:

visit the Cumbria LNRS website

Contact us

Email: ClimateAction@WestmorlandandFurness.gov.uk

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