How do we work with partners?

The Partnership Management Plan is a collective vision for the future of the South Downs National Park.

Its 10 Outcomes can only be delivered by joint working between land managers, communities, NGOs, volunteers, businesses and a wide range of other partners and individuals.

Together, the Authority and its partners will work in the following ways to deliver this Plan.

Some projects will be led by the Authority and some by other partners:

Use the best evidence and support new research. Using the most up to date evidence and data, for example the latest technology to monitor landscape change, sharing data and evidence among the partners.
Make best practice, common practice: Share best practice between partners, whether land managers, communities, local authorities and agencies, businesses or NGOs.
Build skills for the future: For example by equipping the farmers and foresters of today to make the best plans and decisions for tomorrow, and investing in the future by bringing new entrants into the profession
Network to form partnerships: Create Joint Accords and work collaboratively with expertise from across sectors.
Empower communities: Help individuals, parishes and communities to take action locally on the issues which matter to them – for example climate change, wildlife, affordable housing, dark skies, urban trees, and tranquil places.
Develop ways to evaluate the benefit of all projects in terms of natural capital, social and community value.
Reach out to new audiences. Use communication channels across many organisations to ensure full and active participation for all in this National Park.
Develop the National Park as a national hub of excellence.
Ensure support for creative engagement with the landscape and its heritage.
Build on existing successful pilot initiatives and scale them up.
Engage new volunteers from underrepresented groups and provide a cohesive volunteering offer that supports innovation and training.
Support individuals to make small changes and incremental difference through behaviour change campaigns and promoting microvolunteering ideas

Specifically, the Authority will:

Work to get net gain from major infrastructure: work with utility companies, developers and their agents to develop high-quality schemes that go beyond avoiding damage and instead improve the landscape and biodiversity of the National Park.
Add value through the planning system: use the South Downs Local Plan and development management service, and those of partner local authorities, to achieve net environmental gain from developers.
Support the creation of resilient markets and sustainable supply chains: work with the supply chain to maximise the value of, for example, sustainably produced timber and forest products, thereby increasing the economic value of our woodlands.