As the UK grapples with an environmental crisis, the National Trust is making a bold move to boost biodiversity nationwide. To mark the Trust’s 130th birthday, plans have been launched for one of the most ambitious nature-restoration projects ever seen in the UK. We take a look at what’s being planned.
The National Trust’s plan for nature
The Trust aims to restore a vast 250,000 hectares of land over the next decade, helping to address one of today’s key challenges – loss of biodiversity. The plan involves working on a range of projects to improve natural areas and increase people’s access to green space.
What is the National Trust?
The National Trust is a charitable conservation body founded in 1895 to preserve areas of countryside and protect them from encroaching industrialisation. The Trust’s influence grew following two World Wars, when it worked to save many country houses from demolition.
The National Trust owns and manages almost 250,000 hectares in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, comprising farmland, historic parkland, woodlands and nature reserves. Most of the farmland is let to tenant farmers, while some is managed by the Trust. It also manages 500 historic properties, 890 miles of coastline and is the biggest conservation charity in Europe.
Today, in the face of accelerating biodiversity loss and climate change, the Trust is not only working to protect the countryside but also wants to deliver improvements to the natural world.
How is the National Trust planning to restore nature?
The Trust aims to increase initiatives to restore nature on the land it owns as well as areas beyond that. It wants to increase access to the countryside and encourage more people to act to protect the environment.
The National Trust’s Director-General Hilary McGrady said:
For 130 years the National Trust has responded to the crises and challenges of the time. Today, nature is declining before our eyes and climate change is threatening habitats on a colossal scale. Meanwhile, millions of people can’t enjoy the benefits that green space and heritage bring. So, we will ramp up our work to restore nature, both on our land and beyond our boundaries. We’ll work to end inequality of access to green space and cultural heritage. And we will inspire millions more people to take action to protect the things we all need to thrive.
By working with farmers, landowners and communities, the Trust aims to create 250,000 hectares of biodiverse landscapes by 2035; an area that’s one and a half times the size of Greater London. The Trust has restored 25,000 hectares of priority habitat landscapes over the last decade, involving peatland restoration and creating wetlands, woodlands and saltmarshes: this new initiative aims to restore ten times that amount of land.
What are the main strategy aims?
- Revive key habitats and reconnect landscapes by planting nature-rich mosaics to create resilient networks that wildlife can thrive in.
- Restore peatland which stores carbon; reduce flood risk and improve soil health.
- Improve water quality in rivers.
- Support landowners to manage land with nature at the forefront of plans.
- Improve people’s access to nature: enabling more people to spend time in the natural world will alleviate the UK’s mental health crisis.
- Working with founding partners Natural England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Trust is encouraging towns and cities to join its Nature Towns and Cities initiative launched this summer. This £15.5 million urban strategy aims to support 100 towns and cities to improve their green space networks.
How can people get involved?
The initiative aims to inspire five million more people to make nature a priority and give their time, their voice or donations. Volunteers with the Trust or partner organisations can improve local areas of importance to them. Fundraising initiatives include `Adopt a Plot’, offering people the opportunity to sponsor a plot for nature recovery at a site they choose. The first six `Nature Super Sites’ have been chosen and include areas in Northern Ireland and Northumberland.
How is the National Trust publicising its strategy?
The Trust has appointed high-profile ambassadors and launched campaigns to bring nature into public consciousness. It is co-producing a new natural history series with The Open University for BBC One titled: `Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles’, which follows cameraman Hamza Yassin as he films wildlife in the four countries of the UK.
The Trust has also launched an apprenticeship scheme for 130 young people in a range of careers including gardening, countryside management, tech and finance.
What initiatives are under way?
- Tree-planting this winter: nearly 500,000 new trees are to be planted across England, creating 519 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat.
- Wildflower meadows: 90 hectares of meadows are being planted in Devon, growing from just 2 % to 40 % coverage, benefiting a wide range of wildlife from butterflies to bats.
Connectivity and hope
While the National Trust’s plan is about reinstating biodiversity, it’s also about giving people the opportunity to connect with nature. It’s an invitation for those who care about nature and conservation to take part, by volunteering, funding, or advocacy, to help make the next decade witness a reviving and thriving natural world.
