It has been another positive year in the Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscape, and neighbouring Dedham Vale National Landscape & Stour Valley.

The National Landscape team, based in Ipswich, works with the Partnership members, landowners and with the support of volunteers has been able to deliver the following output between 1st April 2024. – 31st March 2025.

• Distributed over £450,000 of Farming in Protected Landscapes grants
• Printed 50,000 walking leaflets encouraging responsible access to the National Landscapes.
• Secured £160,000 of Ofgem funding for the dismantlement of unsightly overhead electricity wires and poles near Lower Holbrook.
• Published two outstanding National Landscapes newspapers with a combined print run of 45,000.
• Distributed over £310,000 of addition DEFRA Capital and Access funds to conserve and enhance the National Landscapes and enhance access, including new permissive paths, purchase of mobility scooters and enhanced interpretation facilities.
• Continued delivery of £657,000 of National Grid Landscape Enhancement Initiative Projects across both National Landscapes.
• Secured an additional £82,379  funding from the National Grid Landscape Enhancement Initiative.
• Advocated for the National Landscape purpose in over 150 planning applications
• Facilitated over 1,500 volunteer days.
• Delivered a £159,000 Heritage National Lottery Heritage Funded project to increase participation and understanding of National Landscapes.
• Made two ‘National Landscape’ awards for individuals that made an outstanding contribution to the areas.
• Engaged in 5 Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project development processes. 
• Nature Network projects delivered:
  – Removal of over 3,000 Giant Hogweed plants from the Brett and Stour rivers.
  – Removal of Himalayan Balsam from 4km of the river Brett
  – Planting of 1,500m of new hedgerows
  – 15 new wildlife scrapes
  – 7,000m of new footdrains habitat
  – 3,000m of new electric fencing for habitat creation purposes.
• Hosted a planning seminar attended by over 100 participants.
• Appointed and hosted an externally funded Dedham Vale Project Assistant.
• National Landscape Facebook accounts reached more than 115,000 people per month. 
• Websites received over 125,000 page views.
• Email newsletters opened over 15,000 times.
• Instagram posts reached over 12,000 people
• Engaged in 188 Town and Country Planning Applications.
• Commissioned research showing the Dedham Vale and Suffolk & Essex Coast & Heaths National Landscapes visitor economy was worth £69mn and £230mn respectively and supported nearly 7,000 jobs (2023 figures).  
• Organised a fun family outdoor event Wild in the Stour Valley with partners.
• Over 400 children and young people engaged with themed activities on priority habitats and wildlife at the Hadleigh show, Wild in the Stour Valley and 4 Flatford Nature Days.
• The Wilder Together in the Stour Valley partnership ran 3 community training sessions at RSPB Flatford Wildlife Garden, promoting the 2 Wilder Together event kits which can be loaned out to community groups.
• Worked with  17  parish/ town councils/ community groups on wildlife projects as part of Wilder Together in the Stour Valley
• Supported Babergh Mid Suffolk’s Call for Land summit
• Presentations to Bures school and Greener Glemsford on how to help hedgehogs.
• 600 cuttings taken from the Native Black Poplar Clone bank and grown on to be planted out in the Suffolk/Essex countryside
• 43 Wednesday volunteer tasks and 12 youth ranger activities including a paddle boarding session at Flatford funded by Landscapes for All grant.  
• Facilitated a work placement student.
• Ran training event for 10 Promoted Route Volunteers.
• Facilitated Great British Beach Clean and Beach Clean 2024 events (10 litter surveys, 241 volunteers, c3,900 items of litter were recorded).
• Started to evolve vehicle fleet away from fossil fuels.
• Created 15 stag beetle pyramids in the Dedham Vale National Landscape.
• Managed 10  grassland sites (County Wildlife Sites and community wildflower areas).
• Coppiced 6 woodland sites.
• Planted 350m of hedging for dormice and other wildlife.