ENVIRONMENTAL REGENERATION AND MANAGEMENT IN PARTNERSHIP IN THE NORTHWEST OF ENGLAND

Built environment and cultural heritage are important aspects to improve the quality of life in environmental regeneration and management. This paper aims to compare two case studies to examine partnership for environmental regeneration and management in post-industrial landscapes in the northwest of England: conservation and interpretation of the salt heritage at Northwich Woodlands, and landscaping former coalfields with artworks at Bold Forest Park, St.Helens. Study methods used are literature reviews and faceto-face interviews with representatives from partnership organisations, e.g. Mersey Forest, local authority officers, and Friends of Anderton and Marbury. From the results, characteristics of the two projects became apparent with distinctive focuses: industrial heritage in Northwich Woodlands; and creating a focal point using collaborative artworks in St. Helens. Similarities are also found in outcomes of environmental regeneration to create wildlife areas with some statutory designations, and partnership patterns integrating sectors from public, private, and the community. For both case studies, the overriding issue is being able to develop the resources and partnerships to enable the sites to be managed and thus cherished by their communities in the long term.