From Morecambe Bay to Mourne Gullion, these Landscape Connections projects will restore nature, strengthen climate resilience and help more people engage with natural heritage.
Protected Landscapes across the UK are facing increasing threats, including wildfires, habitat loss and impact from the climate crisis.
We’re funding five new Landscape Connections projects with over £5million in development funding and the potential for a further £42.6m in delivery grants.
These natural heritage projects will address environmental challenges and involve people to help safeguard the landscapes for future generations.
Meet the projects
Arnside & Silverdale
Arnside & Silverdale National Landscape in the north west of England is internationally recognised for its rich habitats and wildlife, including limestone pavement and the Morecambe Bay coastline.
With over £1m in development funding from us, the project will restore nature, improve access and help ensure the landscape remains resilient and welcoming.
Lucy Barron, Arnside & Silverdale National Landscape Partnership Manager, said: “This funding means investment in nature, inclusive access and community connections across the area. Strong partnership working is at the heart of this success and will now go from strength to strength.”
Mourne and the Ring of Gullion
Our development funding of £1.1m will help farmers, landowners, community groups and environmental organisations work together to develop practical, locally supported solutions. The project will restore habitats and strengthen connections between people and place.
Shropshire Hills
The project will bring together farmers, communities and young people to improve habitats and strengthen ecological networks. We’ve awarded £993,475 in development funding to support long-term stewardship while helping more people connect with nature and heritage.
Cornwall
Cornwall National Landscape spans 12 separate areas across the county. This project, which is partnering with the National Trust, will focus on wetlands and habitats in Hartland, Bodmin Moor, the Lizard and Pentire to Widemouth and Tintagel.
Our grant of more than £1m development funding will help reconnect nature-rich habitats at scale and inspire people to care for Cornwall’s natural heritage.
Ian Marsh, Assistant Director for the National Trust in Cornwall, said: “By connecting communities, particularly young people, with the places around them through youth rangers, apprenticeships and conservation volunteering, the project will help inspire the next generation to care for nature while creating lasting benefits for wildlife, heritage and people across Cornwall.”
Strangford and Lecale
Strangford and Lecale is one of Northern Ireland’s most important coastal landscapes, covering over 90,600 hectares.
With over £800,000 in development funding from us, the project will build plans to create a more connected landscape by restoring habitats at scale. It will also support communities to lead nature recovery, including through training and mentoring.
Investing in landscapes at scale
Eilish McGuinness, our Chief Executive, said: “Our landscapes are facing unprecedented challenges, from climate change to biodiversity loss, and meeting them requires action at scale and collaboration across boundaries.
“The landscapes, habitats and natural environments we value are an important part of our shared heritage. Through Landscape Connections, we want to help ensure these places are valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. These projects demonstrate the ambition, innovation and partnership needed to secure the future of our treasured landscapes, while laying the foundations for long-term nature recovery and stronger connections between people and nature.”
Our support for Landscape Connections projects
Landscape Connections is our £150m, 10-year investment to help designated Protected Landscapes and other world-class landscapes across the UK to become better for nature and people.
Since July 2024, we’ve also awarded £2.7m in development funding (with the potential of £25m in delivery funding) to the Solway Coast and Marine area and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs in Scotland, and the North Pennines in the north of England.
Get funding for your project
We’ve invested over £2.3billion of National Lottery and other funding in more than 5,300 land, nature and biodiversity projects across the UK since 1994.
This content is sourced from www.heritagefund.org.uk and is shared for informational purposes only.
