Precious wildlife habitat in our most important places for nature is set to be restored thanks to a new government fund, Nature Minister Mary Creagh announced today (Monday 25 May).
The government will invest £30 million to restore and create wildlife-rich habitats across England’s most iconic landscapes from the wilds of Dartmoor to the rugged Lake District.
Our protected landscapes act as vital havens for the country’s most threatened species such as hedgehogs, hazel dormouse, water vole, and rare birds like the curlew and turtle dove, with habitat degradation being one of the main drivers for their decline.
The new Wildlife-Rich Habitat Fund will deliver thousands of hectares of new habitat across England’s National Parks, National Landscapes, and the Broads over three years, helping to bring nature back to the places people love most.
The scale and ambition of projects that will soon be underway illustrates what investing in nature can achieve. For example, the Peak District National Park Authority is working with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, volunteers and contractors to start the transformation of over 80 hectares of upland moorland at Gun Moor. Following years of degradation with the Moor’s deep peat drying out and wildlife retreating, the project is restoring 24 hectares of wet heath, re-wetting deep peat, and establishing a new area of native woodland on the lower slopes. More funding means more projects like this getting off the ground.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said
“Our national parks and protected landscapes are home to some of our most marginal species. Our Wild Again funding is already turning the tide on their decline. It will mean more birdsong, flower meadows full of bees and butterflies, and new areas of native woodlands.”
“We’re funding this recovery with the highest ever budget for nature, field by field, across England’s most iconic and beautiful landscapes”.
Mary-Ann Ochota, Independent Chair of the Protected Landscapes Partnership, said
“This multi-year investment in Wildlife-Rich Habitats is brilliant news. Protected Landscapes teams are empowered to make smart, efficient decisions, and support will reach local delivery partners quickly. These teams know their landscapes, understand the potential for change and can work together to achieve the best outcomes.
“Locally rooted, trust-building partnerships are key. The result? Thriving, wildlife-rich landscapes, nurtured and cherished by farmers, land managers and local communities. It’s the very essence of why National Parks and National Landscapes exist”.
Protected Landscape organisations will work closely with other conservation organisations, farmers and land managers, and the local communities who know their landscapes best.
The funding announced today follows a £90 million commitment made in March to fund species recovery projects, the largest investment ever announced in species recovery by a government as part of our Wild Again drive aiming to restore our nature and return lost species including beavers and white-tailed eagles.
The Wildlife-Rich Habitat Fund forms part of Wild Again Restoring England’s Wildlife, the government’s umbrella campaign to halt species decline by 2030, bringing together species recovery and habitat restoration work across Defra and its arm’s-length bodies.
This will help meet our international commitment to protect 30% land for nature and our legal Environment Act target to restore over 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042.
Joan Edwards, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, said
‘‘Generations have been inspired by the wonderful wild animals and plants they find in England’s National Parks and Landscapes. However, these special connections with nature have been fraying, as climate change, land use pressures and pollution take their toll, and nature declines across the country.
“Today’s announcement of £30 million of new funding to help wildlife recover in protected landscapes is much needed if we are to reverse this loss and empower people to restore more habitats in cherished National Parks and Landscapes. With nature underpinning our economy, health and future resilience as a nation, there is still lots to do if we are to bring flourishing wildlife and habitats back and achieve vital Environment Act targets. This new funding is step towards delivering on that ambition.’’
Martin Lines, CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said
“This funding is a positive recognition that farmers are essential partners in protecting and restoring the habitats that make our protected landscapes so special. Through the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) scheme, farming businesses have already shown how productive farming and nature recovery can go hand in hand – creating and caring for habitats that support rare wildlife, strengthen landscapes and benefit local communities.”
“We warmly welcome this announcement, which reinforces the importance of farmers as key partners in restoring and protecting our most treasured landscapes. When farmers are trusted and supported to lead, nature can recover at scale.”
Additional information
- The Wildlife-Rich Habitat Fund provides £30 million in ring-fenced funding – £10 million per financial year – from 2026 to 2029.
- 36 of England’s 44 Protected Landscapes are participating in the first year with every project funded rooted in local priorities.
- The fund is delivered through the existing Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme infrastructure.
- The fund is separate from and does not affect the farming budget or the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.
- Projects will be prioritised in line with Protected Landscapes management plans and Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
- The fund forms part of the government’s broader programme of action to restore nature, alongside the Environmental Improvement Plan, the Land Use Framework and new legislation to strengthen the purposes and powers of National Parks and National Landscapes.