National Lottery Heritage Fund confirms £150m for UK landscapes

Landscape Connections will be a decade-long initiative contributing to nature recovery and rural economies. 

Forming part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s wider Heritage 2033 scheme, 20 large-scale projects will launch across the UK. The focus will fall on protected landscapes, including National Parks and National Landscapes in England and Wales, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Northern Ireland and similar locations in Scotland. 

The organisation is currently one of the foremost investors in Britain’s natural heritage, spending around £2.1billion on schemes in more than 4,900 places, on land and sea, over the past 30 years.  This new funding aims to support the establishment and expansion of local partnerships, helping community groups undertake enterprising project, encouraging and fostering collaboration, and developing a new network of protected landscapes. 

Financing will be open to applications for the next 10 years, and will look to assist those who work to keep landscapes thriving, building on previous partnership projects such as Our Common Cause: Our Upland Commons. The 25-partner initiative supports hill farmers and owners of commons to manage land for people an nature. Apprenticeships and training opportunities for young people are also provided.  

‘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,’ said Julian Glover, OBE, Heritage Fund Trustee. ‘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. This programme goes beyond investing in land and nature recovery to back the people who make landscapes thrive.’

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,’ added Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of the Heritage Fund. ‘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.’

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Image:  Hulki Okan Tabak