We now face an unprecedented degree of environmental change and new economic and social pressures; take for example climate change, CAP Reform, and the increasing trend towards globalisation of markets. To address this challenge, new partnerships of local landholders, government and non-government agencies must now find new and sustainable ways to managing change. The Pumlumon Project, led by Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust on behalf of Wildlife Trusts Wales represents this new approach. The Pumlumon area is the largest watershed in Wales and is the source of the rivers Wye, Severn and Rheidol. The land holds a complex mosaic of locally, nationally and internationally important habitats and species, such as dry and wet dwarf-shrub heath, blanket bog, unimproved acid grassland and a number of oligotrophic lakes. Agriculturally improved grassland, broadleaved woodlands and forestry plantations are also characteristic features of the area. Pumlumon is important for breeding and wintering birds particularly Hen Harrier, Merlin, Short eared owl, Red and Black grouse, and a number of Red Data Book and UK BAP invertebrates. Its landscapes are breathtaking, for their raw natural beauty and for their wide horizons and sense of space. However, like many areas of the Welsh uplands, intensive land use activities have resulted in a significant loss of biodiversity. Many of our upland habitats are being lost or are degraded and in poor condition. Over-grazing by sheep has induced soil compaction, which has resulted in diffuse pollution and increased flooding of the lowland areas. Our vision is to: • Create landscape solutions that will address climate change, diffuse pollution, flooding, habitat loss and species decline by establishing ecosystems management. • Enable the farming community to have a sustainable future through the sympathetic and sustainable management of natural capital. • Encourage economic activity through the promotion of enhanced natural assets • Empower communities to address environmental issues through sustainable environmental management To achieve the scale of change necessary, a Landscape Strategy will be used to focus delivery. The project will support and give payment for delivering ecosystem services including: • climate change mitigation • diffuse pollution management • flood water management • habitat and species management This ecosystem services approach will be achieved by Ecosystems Management through a Landscape Strategy and will include the management of carbon storage in soils (including peat), management of habitat grazing, soils management, the creation of ecological corridors and landscape scale hydrological management including the rewetting of damaged habitats. This project will provide a model for a top-tier agri-environment scheme. One that will pay for agreed capital and revenue works additional to current agricultural support. Prescriptions for action will be defined in partnership with the local community and land managers within the parameters of Landscape Strategy framework. Social and economic outcomes - • More sustainable (less resource intensive) agriculture producing higher quality, high value-added products for local markets • Better ecosystem management, requiring greater inputs of (more skilled) labour, more research and planning, better delivery mechanisms, therefore creating a range of jobs that don’t exist at present • More opportunities to create new (higher value-added) tourism and leisure products based on ecotourism or “green tourism” • The provision of environmental management services to farmers and landowners • Empowering and resourcing local communities to develop sustainable land-management, environmental, or tourism projects of their own design