Despite being one of the wildest places in England, the Lake District has been shaped by people through centuries of upland farming. Supporting these traditional farming methods is therefore an important part of planning for the future of these landscapes. Woodlands are an even older aspect of our landscape. Ancient woodlands once cloaked vast areas of the Lake District. Today Friends of the Lake District is dedicated to restoring and recreating native woodlands, for the sake of the landscape, the wildlife and the people who enjoy them.
Through the generosity of Friends of the Lake District members and landowners Bev and Jo Dennison Drake, we have planted a new 7 hectare native wood along Tongue Gill beck, Grasmere. During 2014 we ran an appeal to raise money for trees. Thanks to our members, an incredible £8,626 was raised, adding to the grant we received from the Forestry Commission. Read more
Recognising how trees are an essential part of our landscape character, we are pleased to announce that we will be a key supporting partner in The Long View project, led by Rob Fraser and Harriet Fraser of somewhere-nowhere. Read more
Friends of the Lake District Whole Valley Planning - A guide for communities. This project explored the feasibility of whether land management could be integrated across a whole valley, based on community led issues. Read more
The £1million Our Green Space project was run in partnership with Action with Communities in Cumbria between 2008 and 2011. Read more
Work the View was part of the Rural Skills Cumbria Programme providing training to individuals 16 years or older, currently working, or intending to work in the farming, food and forestry sectors in Cumbria. Read more
The Farming Landscapes Project was a three year partnership between Friends of the Lake District and the Cumbria Farmer Network, to raise awareness of local produce and the link between farming, food and the landscape. Read more