About the Partnership

Wild Ennerdale is involving into a partnership between people and organisations lead by The National Trust (NT), The Forestry Commission (FC) and United Utilities (UU) being the primary land owners in The Ennerdale Valley and Natural England, the Government's advisor on the environment.

Over the last five years the partnership has seen its work develop and broaden as individuals such as farm tenants, local businesses, the YHA, local people and volunteers have caught onto the excitement and vision that the original parters have developed.

Ennerdale Location:

Ennerdale is situated in West Cumbria around 10 miles inland of the coast at Whitehaven. See multimap or our location map or read more about Ennerdale from our Stewardship Plan.

Background:

The partnership has developed since 2000 when The National Trust
and The Forestry Commission first came together. Initial discussion
and brainstorming centred on developing ideas about a combined approach to managing the valley and identifying the unique qualities and character of Ennerdale. It was through these discussions that the wild character of Ennerdale was identified as being of primary significance. Further ideas were explored through field visits and discussions with the local community, ecologists, conservationist and other landscape scale advisors.

In 2002 the partnership welcomed United Utilities as the third partner .

In September 2003 the three partners agreed on the name "Wild Ennerdale", and on a vision statement which sums up the partnerships aspiration for the future of the valley "To allow the evolution of Ennerdale as a wild valley for the benefit of people relying more on natural processes to shape its landscape and ecology"

Soon afterwards the three organisations formalised their agreement in an informal memorandum of agreement.

Natural England joined around 2005 as ecological advisor and supporter.