Headlines:New projects to boost nature recovery across England

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Natural England have announced six new nature recovery projects that will cover 176,000 hectares of land and create better habitats for wildlife and people.

The projects, which will receive £7.4 million in funding, will restore and connect rare and diverse ecosystems such as wetlands, heathlands, uplands and coastal areas. They will also help to manage climate risks such as flooding, wildfire and drought, and improve carbon storage and water quality.

The projects are located in Cumbria, Cheshire, Lancashire, Northumbria, Surrey, Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, Sussex and Kent. They will involve multiple partners such as landowners, local authorities, water companies, conservation groups and community organisations.

The projects will also provide opportunities for people to access and enjoy nature, and benefit from its health and wellbeing effects. Some of the projects will work with the NHS and schools to deliver nature-based interventions and education.

The nature recovery projects are part of the government’s commitment to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030, and to create a Nature Recovery Network that will halt the decline of biodiversity and restore natural capital. They will also contribute to the Environmental Improvement Plan and the G7 legacy project in Cornwall.