Stakeholder Engagement Plan
The Stakeholder Engagement Plan explains how the scheme will work with local communities, land managers, organisations, visitors, schools and volunteers over the next 20 years. It ensures that people are at the heart of the scheme and can shape its future.
Engagement is essential to the success of Linking Levisham because the scheme can only succeed through strong relationships and active involvement. People who live, work, or spend time in the area bring knowledge, experience and passion that help guide the scheme’s decisions. Engagement also supports:
- Clear communication about landscape change and long term ambitions.
- Opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy, learn from, and contribute to the scheme area.
- Inclusive access to nature, cultural heritage, volunteering and skills development.
- Stronger community wellbeing, connection to place and shared pride.
The Engagement Plan is made up of five linked programmes. Each provides different ways to get involved and ensures that a wide range of people can benefit from the scheme.
- Land Manager Support Programme: Regular meetings, workshops, shared planning sessions and skills development.
- Education Programme: Activities for schools, colleges and universities; Curriculum-linked site visits, practical learning and skills development; Opportunities for research projects, green career pathways and outreach events.
- Events Programme: Celebration events, arts and heritage workshops, dark skies events and guided walks; programmes supporting health and wellbeing.
- Volunteering Programme: Practical conservation tasks; Visitor engagement roles, walk leaders, community heritage opportunities.
- Interpretation Programme: New interpretation hub, alongside digital interpretation and virtual experiences; Creative and community-led storytelling, including oral history projects and exhibitions.
The engagement programme helps deliver the scheme’s long-term ambition that “people are connected to the place and are part of the story.” It does this by:
- Improving access to nature for underrepresented groups.
- Supporting heritage learning and celebrating the cultural identity of the landscape.
- Encouraging positive behaviours that protect wildlife and livestock.
- Building green skills and supporting career pathways.
- Creating opportunities for better health and wellbeing.