Wyescapes
Landscape Recovery
FOOD-Nature-Water
Farmers and Land Managers are collaborating to restore a nature-rich mosaic of habitats, improve river health, and naturally reduce the impact of floods and drought, whilst producing food sustainably on more climate-resilient farms.
For Land Managers
Farms & Land Holdings
Kilometres of riverbank
Hectares of project land
Introducing Wyescapes
Wyescapes is a long-term, Landscape Recovery Project for river corridors of the Wye and Lugg in Herefordshire. This farmer-owned project spans Herefordshire from north to south, including 80km of riverbank and a total land area of 5012 hectares – which equates to 50km².
Wyescapes will restore nature-rich habitats, protect soils, and prevent polluting run-off. A more natural exchange of water between land and river will be restored to ‘slow the flow’ during heavy rains and provide important water reserves for drier times. In addition, more carbon will be drawn from the atmosphere, stored in trees and locked into soils. These important environmental benefits will be delivered through significant land management changes that support sustainable, food security on viable, climate-resilient farms.
Creating a just transition to sustainable land management along the River Wye & Lugg for nature, river, food & farming
Farming in landscape-scale collaboration & in concert with nature
49 land holdings between Leominster and Symonds Yat have developed collaborative landscape recovery plans. These farmers and land managers are making a bold commitment to a wide range of long-term environmental changes such as reducing nutrient-use and enhancing soil health, restoring floodplain meadows, planting trees and hedges, and creating wetland features.
Coordinated action of this scale and longevity provides genuine hope for the recovery of this renowned river landscape, which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.
Opportunities identified in our detailed plan submission include:
Restored Natural Habitats
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2,000 acres of new floodplain meadow and species-rich grassland
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330 acres of new woodland
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220 acres of new wetlands
Nature-rich farmland
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3000 arable acres farmed for improved soil health and climate resilience
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22 kilometres of new hedgerows
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775 acres of buffers, margins & flower strips
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660 acres of new woodpasture, parkland and orchards
Supporting Long-term River Recovery
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1,385 acres of arable land reverting to grassland
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Slowing the flow of water from land to river after rain
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Creating water reserves for drier times
Plus local communities and visitors will benefit from improved public access for leisure or active travel and new ways to experience the natural and farming heritage of this much-loved landscape.
A wounded Wye
The unique ecology of the River Wye and Lugg face critical challenges due to the combined environmental stresses of habitat degradation, pollution, and climate change.
In 2023 the River Wye and River Lugg had their health status downgraded from ‘unfavourable –improving’ to ‘unfavourable – declining’. A Natural England assessment had identified declines in Atlantic Slamon and White Clawed Crayfish in both rivers and the River Wye was also showing declines in aquatic plants. In addition, the River Lugg was exceeding Phosphate target levels, whilst the River Wye between Hay-on-Wye and the River Lugg confluence was at the target phosphate limit in some locations and at risk of exceeding them.
Habitat pressures
Competing land use demands and on ongoing financial imperatives to increase agricultural productivity have affected wildlife habitats of the River Wye SAC.
Pollution
In addition to problems with untreated sewage outflows in the river, the catchment suffers from an excess of nutrients from farming practices that have intensified since the world war II.
Climate Change
Climate change is causing more frequent and more extreme flooding, drought, heatwaves, and dangerously low river flows. These have a critical impact on both farming and ecology in the river and the floodplain.
Hydrological Function
The floodplain should play a vital role in absorbing, storing and slowly releasing water to the river and groundwater reserves. Restoring these natural process are even more important in the face of climate change.
Wyescapes Goals
Wyescapes is hugely ambitious in scope and scale. Our aims are organised around 3 key project pillars – Nature, Water, Food & Farming. Outcomes for people and communities are embedded in each pillar and include wide-ranging benefits for health and wellbeing, heritage, culture and economy.
Explore our project goals in each area via clicking through the tab headings below.
- Restoring a biodiverse mosaic of habitats along the Wye and Lugg rivers, both Sites of Special Scientific Interest
- Helping to stop decline in UK wildlife by 2030, in line with the Environment Improvement Plan 2023, by supporting struggling species such as of diverse flora, including meadow wildflowers, vital pollinating insects, and farmland and wading birds
- Recovering nature at a landscape scale for the River Wye Special Area of Conservation
- Plus – promoting health and wellbeing benefits for people, through enhanced nature connection, opportunities for volunteering, learning, enhancing skills, and involvement in community co-design.
- Supporting catchment-wide efforts to restore water quality in the Wye and Lugg by preventing nutrient and sediment pollution entering the river from project land
- Re-connecting the river and its floodplain, restoring more natural hydrological processes so the land can absorb, store and slowly release water to the river and groundwater reserves
- Mitigating increased risks of floods and drought we face in a changing climate
- PLUS – restoring a hopeful, positive connection with the river for local communities and renewing the national importance of the Wye as a source of inspiration for generations to come.
- Enabling sustainable agriculture to thrive on Herefordshire floodplains, with farmers confident about the future of their farms
- Providing long term support for a sustained transition to nature-friendly farming practices
- Giving farmers options and agency in the face of growing climate challenges (e.g. more water storage on their land)
- Protecting UK food security through supporting healthy, viable farm businesses producing high quality food, valued for its sustainable provenance and environmental credentials
- Contributing to the net zero goals for UK agriculture.
- PLUS – Enhancing public access and enjoyment of these much-loved landscapes. Helping people to understand and appreciate both the natural ecology and the role of farming in a flourishing landscape.
Land Management Changes
Explore an aerial flyover of the Wyescapes river corridor in the simulation above.
Family farms passed down through the generations have shaped both the Herefordshire countryside and our rural communities. These farms operate on low margins, whilst exposed to high risks from external factors such as weather and price volatility of what they produce. Farm businesses are therefore vulnerable to weather events, economic shocks and changes to government subsidy. Now accelerating climate change is disrupting weather patterns and bringing more extreme weather. In particular, farms on the floodplain face increasing crop losses due to flood inundation.
Many farms, especially those small-to-medium-sized, are struggling to remain financially viable.
Wysecapes will provide long-term support to enable sustainable, nature-friendly agriculture to thrive on climate-resilient farms.
Our Vision for Wyescapes
By 2050 the Wyescapes project area will be an exemplar success story of landscape recovery, inspiring just transitions to sustainable land management throughout the Wye catchment and across the UK.
The ecology of the river corridors of the Wye and Lugg will be thriving and resilient once again – with restored habitats, thriving biodiversity and healthier waterways.
Environmental outcomes
Will include:
- A mosaic of restored natural habitats and nature-rich farmland extending out from the river including:
- Floodplain meadows
- Wetland features
- Nature-rich hedgerows
- Trees planted along the river, in new and restored woodland and as part of productive agroforestry
Including Black Poplar, a floodplain specialist, and one of the UK’s most endangered native trees
- Pollinators and farmland birds such as yellowhammer will flourish across project land
- Enhanced water quality
- Improved flood resilience and risk mitigation
- Healthy soils to support food production for generations to come
- Working in concert with other initiatives across the catchment, we will see the Special Area of Conservation restored to health.
HUMAN OUTOMES
Will include:
- Wyescapes land managers will have experienced multiple benefits of the project, they will be confident about the future of their farms and strong advocates for nature-friendly and regenerative farming.
- Rural communities will be thriving in a revitalised landscape, with exciting opportunities engaging younger generations in sustainable land management careers.
- Wyescapes will have become embedded in local communities, with strong support for farms and other businesses involved.
- Locals and visitors will have a deeper appreciation and understanding of natural heritage, farming heritage, and sustainable food production.
- People will experience the health and wellbeing benefits of experiencing the landscape and enhanced nature connection.
- Education programmes will engage young people and give them rich embedded learning opportunities.
- Diverse groups will enjoy responsible access to project land that boosts their physical health and mental well-being.
Project news
Meet the Wyescapes Farmers – Manor Farm, Monkland
Our first Wyescapes Meet the Farm visit takes us to the northern edge of the Wyescapes area to meet the Rogers family at Manor Farm, where we talked about farming amid flooding, local wildlife and climate resilience.
Herefordshire farmers submit major plan to restore nature along the Rivers Wye and Lugg.
Ambitious long-term plans to restore nature across more than 5000 hectares along the river corridors of the Wye and Lugg between Leominster and Symonds Yat, have been formally submitted to Defra as part of the government’s new Landscape Recovery programme. The...
Celebrating Highlights of Wyescapes Landscape Recovery Plans
We are very pleased to confirm that our Wyescapes Landscape Recovery plans have now been formally submitted to Defra. This is a huge moment for our project, after almost two years of detailed development phase work. So many people have contributed...
Ellie Chowns MP visits Wyescapes
On the first anniversary of her election to Parliament, local Green Party MP Dr Ellie Chowns visited an ambitious long-term Landscape Recovery project being developed for the Wye and Lugg river corridors in Herefordshire. Ellie was hosted by farmer James Hawkins at...
Landscape Recovery extended to over 5000 hectares of Herefordshire farmland
Defra has approved a land area expansion for the Wyescapes Landscape Recovery Project. This brings the total project area to 5125 hectares. Thanks to strong support from local farmers, the project’s ambition of restoring river corridors of the Wye and Lugg in...
Wyescapes Landscape Recovery bid successful!
We have been told this morning that our application to DEFRA's Landscape Recovery scheme has been successful! The bid was supported by 36 landowners stretching from Leominster to Goodrich, covering 4500hectares of farmland. The Wyescapes Landscape Recovery scheme will...
Milestone Dates
2024
APRIL
Wyescapes Development Phase Begins
Wyescapes was confirmed as one of the 34 successful project bigs for Round 2 of Defra Landscape Recovery projects More Details
2025
MARCH
Land extension confirmed
Defra has approved a land area expansion for the the project, now reaching 5125 hectares in the development phase. More Details
2026
March
Submission of plans to Defra
The project has submitted our detailed proposals to Defra. Wyescapes now enters a competitive bid review process. More Details.
2026
Autumn tbc
Implementation Phase Begins
If the plans and terms are accepted by Defra, Wyescapes Land Managers and other financial backers, the project will begin implementation, and we propose will run for 30 years.
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Catch up on Wyescapes Newsletters
17.09.26 Building Resilience for a changing climate
11.03.26 Celebrating Wyescapes Plans Submissions!
08.10.25 Seasons change and Wyescapes Plans Progress
03.07.25 Landscape Recovery in the making – Wyescapes Summer Updates
18.03.25 Springing into Wyescape’s second and final development year
23.12.24 Mid-winter wishes from Wyescapes
About Wyescapes and Partners
In the development phase, Wyescapes is led by Herefordshire Rural Hub in partnership with Herefordshire Meadows, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, and The Wye and Usk Foundation.
Wyescapes is funded by Defra initially until March 2026. During this phase, the project conducted ecological baseline surveys, developed rigorous, site-specific land management plans, as well as plans for public access, governance, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring & evaluation, as well as creating a blended finance model to sustain the project for 30 years’ implementation.
For implementation, a Wyescapes Community Interest Company limited by guarentee will be created with participating farmers and land managers as guarantor members.
