Isles of Scilly National Landscape

The Isles of Scilly may be the UK’s smallest National Landscape, but our archipelago is unmatched in character and qualities. The Wildlife Trust is a proud member of the IoS National Landscape partnership, recognising this statutory protected landscape designation as the highest accolade which the heritage of the isles can be afforded. Since 2014, the Trust has also been the delivery partner for the National Landscape partnership. This means that we work tirelessly to ensure Government support for the IoS National Landscape, which comes from Defra to the Council of the Isles of Scilly, is invested in work on the ground to keep Scilly special, be that on the Wildlife Trust’s tenancy, or through our collective work with local organisations, the community, individual farmers and growers, and visitors, to make sure that our wildlife, archaeology and landscape are valued and enhanced.

The Isles of Scilly National Landscape is a designation which covers the whole of the Isles of Scilly. The Council's statutory duty is to produce and review a management plan for the National Landscape to demonstrate how it can be protected and enhanced. The care of the National Landscape is not down to the Council, but rather the individuals and organisation within the National Landscape. The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust are the appointed delivery partner.

​Partnerships

The IoS National Landscape Partnership consists of representatives from key organisations including Islands’ Partnership, Isles of Scilly IFCA, Council of the Isles of Scilly, the Duchy of Cornwall, Tresco Estate, IoSWT, Natural England, the Environment Agency, English Heritage & the RSPB. Together these organisations all form part of the advisory group.

Scilly’s distinctive and exceptional landscape, seascape, habitats and historic features are of national, European and International significance, collectively representing one of the UK’s finest landscapes and are worthy of designation and protection as a National Landscape. Each year, DEFRA allocate management plan objectives and this grant is supplemented by 25% match of the core funding by the main partners.

The Council of the Isles of Scilly uses these funds to appoint an organisation (IoSWT) to deliver aspects of the management plan on behalf of the National Landscape Partnership. 

Council of the Isles of Scilly

The Trust works closely with the Council of the Isles of Scilly, sharing resources and expertise in order to meet the needs of wildlife and people across the islands. Joint working extends from expert advice on planning applications, and joint working on sustainable resource use, to ensuring that best value is delivered for the IoS National Landscape through the Trust’s role as delivery partner to help achieve the National Landscape Management Plan. The Council is tasked by the 2021 Environment Act to develop and implement a Local Nature Recovery Strategy, to which the Wildlife Trust is central.

Visit the National Landscape website