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Caring for the area
Sustainable Development Fund (SDF)
Each year the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Unit receives money called the Sustainable Development Fund (SDF), from Natural England, to support protects which will enhance and/or benefit the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
For more information and advice about SDF, please contact the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Unit:
Tel: 01394 384948 or email SDF@suffolk.gov.uk
14 Projects were awarded Sustainable Development Fund grants in 2010-11 by Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB
1. Tunstall Forest Composting Toilets £1,000
Installation of 3 permanent composting toilets at the experimental archaeological centre, for campsite visitors and members of the public. Project will involve schools and the community in their development as a learning resource.
2. Conservation Programme at Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club £1,800
Maintain and improve 4 County Wildlife Sites, plus 5-acre skylark area, next to the Deben Site of Special Scientific Interest. Improve the habitat value, particularly for spring and autumn bird migration, in a significant location that is valued by residents and visitors.
3. Targeted action for priority farmland birds with Suffolk Wildlife Trust partnership £7,500
Targeted farmland advice to secure important populations of six farmland bird species in the AONB, and linked to developing more High Level Stewardship schemes in the area. Project elements include one-to-one farm visits and report; support development of HLS applications; information events
4. I’m a Good Dog! Campaign with Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB partnership £5,000
The project will innovatively and positively welcome dog owners to the AONB BUT clearly show their responsibilities to control dogs in wildlife rich areas. A 2-Year Project, including: site improvements, wardening training, signage, dog & owner training, awareness events
5. Hill House Farm Biomass Heating System £2,500
The project will use redundant farm buildings for sustainable tourism development to be heated with a biomass boiler system, fuelled by woodchips from sustainable farm woodland. The boiler will also be used to heat a pair of farm cottages and a barn for community education.
6. Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival £5,000
Supporting a fortnight of events in the AONB in Sept-Oct 2010. The project will connect the local community and visitors to farms, countryside, food producers, retailers, and eateries. It includes, walks, talks, workshops, arts related activity, children's events.
7. Alde & Ore Land Futures website £1,500
Produce a website as a community forum for local arts/culture group to develop ideas and projects involving the future of the coast. The website will act as an interface between the public, the artists and the issues, and will support the work of Alde & Ore Futures.
8. Know Our World Through a Plot of Land £3,300
Eastfeast and Suffolk Craft Society will run a programme of educational workshops culminating in an exhibition of artworks in Ipswich and Leiston inspired by the AONB as a Plot Of Land. The project is aimed at 5-12 year olds, with art residencies taking place in four schools
9. The Nature Tent with Red Rose Chain £1,500
Part of a 3-year Access to Nature project to creatively connect disadvantaged people living in Ipswich with the AONBs in Suffolk and on the Essex border. The project will include community engagement using art and creativity to inspire people to learn about and connect to the natural environment, using workshops, touring tent, education materials.
10. Action Today: C-Change Year 2 £5,000
A project for knowledge sharing and awareness raising to inspire communities and businesses to help the environment and develop resilience in the Suffolk coastal area. Follow up of C-Change project (year 2 activity), aiming to deliver business audits, training and events for communities and run energy audits on community buildings.
11. Photography Project for Suffolk Coast and Heaths £4,500
Create a large image library of high quality photographs to support AONB communications and marketing, by improving scope of images (more events and people pictures). Create an Image Library, and make images available to partners and public (for a fee).
12. Shotley Gate Cliff Erosion Protection Project £7,000
A community project to explore adaptive experimental techniques to protect the cliff at Shotley Gate, removing the current defence and installing geo-textile gabions.
13. Saltmarsh Restoration on the River Deben £5,000
Project to restore Saltmarsh habitats on eroding unmanaged realignments on the Deben Estuary, by trialling saltmarsh conservation methods and installing wave attenuation screens.
14. Alde & Ore Hinterland Wildlife and Habitat Audit £4,000
Project to undertake a wildlife and habitat audit of farmland along the Alde & Ore, to develop a broad economic picture of the intangible value of the eco-system function of the farmland behind the river walls, up to the 5m contour line, and linking into the Suffolk Coast Futures (ICZM) work.