New conservation awards from The Friends of Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and in partnership with Ripley Show are being launched at this year's show to be held on Saturday 8^th August. The cash awards are being sponsored by Nova Healthcare, who run a specialist brain cancer treatment centre at St James's Hospital, Leeds.

 

The Friends organisation has been sponsoring the popular Farming Enterprise awards in association with Nidderdale Agricultural Society for the last four years. However, the Friends found that many smaller property owners and managers were missing out as they were not wholly involved in farming.

 

The aim of the awards is to recognise property owners in Nidderdale AONB who demonstrate a willingness to promote the objectives of the AONB by valuing the landscape and wildlife through sensitive management. Examples of this could include protection of ancient woodlands, managing flower rich grasslands, maintaining traditional buildings and green lanes, river banks, water margins and wetlands. Any management of property or land located within the AONB that demonstrates a reduction in environmental impacts, encourages sustainability or actively protects the natural and cultural heritage will be eligible.

 

Douglas Adamson, Chair of the Friends commented "We are delighted to launch this award for property owners. Farmers have been doing a great job in this area of countryside stewardship but we had felt for sometime that there were plenty of other landowners, both large and small (from as little as one acre) that were making sterling efforts to manage their land in a way that both preserved the landscape and encouraged sustainability. This award recognises their efforts and I thank Nova Healthcare for their generous sponsorship and the support of the Ripley Show Committee in embracing this idea.'