The Rusland Horizons projects are arranged around four inter-connected themes or programmes of work to revive traditional skills and to learn about, enhance and enjoy the heritage, habitats and wildlife of this quiet and very special place.
Establishing two community managed woodlands at Oxen Park and Bouth in partnership with Forestry England.
Giving young people the opportunity to learn practical, rural management skills, whilst undertaking an apprenticeship in Environmental Conservation.
Mapped Histories was part of the 'Peeling the Onion' Project. Its aim was to collect and interpret the names of the fields, woods and landscape features within the Rusland Horizons scheme area.
Working with woodland managers to restore neglected woodland, creating a more sustainable, ecologically and visually diverse landscape.
The Rusland Valley was identified as a potential breeding area for the endangered Hazel Dormouse. Nationally it is a declining species but is known to be present here in the north west.
A programme of heritage skills courses, held in partnership with other groups running complementary workshops, to pass on traditional skills during the Rusland Horizons Landscape Partnership.
Bringing together data on important habitats for the first time to create a comprehensive digital mapping database that builds a picture of their extent, condition and current management.
A programme of outreach, engagement, celebration and sharing of activities to enable people to learn about the wildlife, habitats and heritage of the area and get involved in their conservation.
Discovering new information about the history and landscape through a community archaeology programme of surveys, research, excavation, interpretation and conservation management works.
Rusland is important for butterfly and moth conservation at a national scale. The Wings in the Woods project started under the Rusland Horizons Landscape Partnership and continued with the Rusland Horizons Trust.
Oral Histories was part of the 'Peeling the Onion' project. It gathered spoken memories of a changing working landscape and how people lived their lives within it.
Enhancing, restoring and managing flower rich hay meadows within the scheme area, using traditional practices to increase plant diversity.
Encouraging people to explore the area sustainably. The trails promote appreciation of the woodland heritage, with key points of interest.
Supporting three coppice apprentices in the heart of the country where Bill Hogarth, the late Cumbria coppice merchant, lived and worked.
The Rusland's Reds project contributed to efforts that aim to restore the dominance of red squirrels throughout the scheme area.
The Rusland Horizons Landscape Partnership worked with volunteers and apprentices to survey the extent, distribution and condition of hedgerows in the area, with follow-up hedge restoration and new planting projects.
We proudly ran a full cycle of seasonal woodland activities between May 2022 and May 2024 in partnership with the truly inspiring charity, Mind in Furness.
A pilot project with Furness College and UCLAN, aiming to introduce young people to Rusland's woodlands.
The Rusland Valley Temperate Rainforest Project is live. We are lucky enough to have one of the last strongholds of ancient temperate rainforest in England. Help us protect and regenerate this precious habitat.
This project is a collaboration with Ulverston based artist Eleanor Chaney who will draw seven unique images of fauna and flora you might find in the Rusland valley to encourage you to do the same.
2020 was a historic period of time; one which will be remembered and spoken about for many years to come. Our Living History Project was about capturing our lives in the valley and surrounding areas during Covid19.
Two projects started in early 2020 researching ancient routeways and old orchards.