The National Lottery Heritage Fund has launched a £150 million fund with the aim of enhancing and bringing about the protection of the UK’s landscapes.
The initiative, Landscape Connections, will fund projects that boost nature recovery, support rural communities and connect more people to the UK’s protected landscapes.
Landscape Connections will be delivered as part of the organisation’s ten-year strategy, Heritage 2033, reaching around 20 large-scale projects across the UK.
Funding will focus on the UK’s protected landscapes – National Parks and National Landscapes in England and Wales, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Northern Ireland and National Parks and other world-class landscapes in Scotland.
The funding will allow for new local partnerships to undertake enterprising projects, fostering collaboration and creating a network of protected landscapes across the UK for the betterment of landscapes, wildlife and communities.
Landscape Connections funding can be applied for over the next ten years and will support the people who make landscapes thrive to strengthen working landscapes.
Heritage Fund trustee, Julian Glover, said: “We have some of the most beautiful, loved and famous landscapes in the world but they can do a lot more for nature and more for people.
“This is a chance to make them flourish by working with those who know them best, from naturalists to businesses and farmers.
“The aim is to revive and connect these treasured places so that they can do their job well, making life healthier and happier for everyone, regardless of age or background.”
Nature recovery
Glover said this programme goes beyond investing in land and nature recovery to back the people who make landscapes “thrive”.
“There is no better moment to get started: the challenge is great and the need for change is huge.”
Chief executive of the Heritage Fund, Eilish McGuinness, said: “Landscape Connections is an ambitious initiative and represents a major commitment by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to not only preserve our natural heritage but to reinvigorate and protect it for future generations.
“As one of the UK’s largest investors in landscapes and natural heritage, we strongly believe that everyone benefits from landscapes rich in nature and beauty.
“I look forward to seeing the funded projects develop and create tangible change over the next decade to further our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.”
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the UK’s breathtaking historic landscapes. Our natural heritage sites boost local economies, are home to an array of precious wildlife and help to give us a greater understanding of our connection to the past.
“This new investment from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will ensure that we can preserve our landscapes for future generations, while providing opportunities for young people and increasing access for all.”
Farmer at Manor Farm in the Chilterns National Landscape previous funded by the Heritage Fund, Andrew Stubbings, said: “The Heritage Fund’s investment in the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership over the last five years has enabled me and 17 other farmers to collaborate on over 6,500ha of farmland.
“Together, we revived wildlife habitats, created wildlife corridors, employed sustainable farming techniques, and educated the next generation of farmers on the importance of conservation.
“The Landscape Connections initiative from the Heritage Fund is crucial in protecting and supporting our natural environment.
“It promotes a balance between utilising working landscapes and allowing nature to thrive on less productive land.”
