The Stepping Stones Project overview Charlie Bell grasslands and broadleaved woodland, and linking them by a network of wildlife-rich hedgerows, road verges, hillsides and streamside wetlands. Stepping Stones has been over twenty years in development, with a range of partners working together including the NFU, CLA, Natural England, DEFRA, Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership, Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Middle Marches Community Land Trust. Most importantly in this agricultural landscape, we have the support of a reference group of local farmers who are highly engaged with the project. Stepping Stones is currently led by the National Trust, who have secured funding to employ two project staff: Andrew Hearle and Charlie Bell.
What is Stepping Stones? Stepping Stones is a landscape-scale nature conservation project. The project area covers more than 200 km² within the Shropshire Hills AONB, stretching from the Stretton Hills in the west to the Stiperstones ridge in the east. The aim of the project is to restore or create ‘stepping stones’ and corridors of wildlife habitat between the two core sites of Long Mynd and the Stiperstones, and beyond. This means creating or improving areas of heathland, flower-rich
Why is Stepping Stones needed? For centuries traditional, low intensity livestock farming created a beautiful landscape in south Shropshire, with a wealth of natural features and
Stepping Stones Project Area
6
