National Trust land to receive £5m nature boost

A significant initiative has been launched to enhance wildlife and address climate challenges in the UK. This project, named 'Turning The Tide For Nature,' has received a generous funding of £5 million from the Garfield Weston Foundation. The primary aim of this project is to support endangered and threatened wildlife while improving the environment. The project will take place on land managed by the National Trust, including locations such as Arlington Court in north Devon, Wallington in Northumberland, and various areas within the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales. Over the next three years, the project will focus on restoring vital habitats like wetlands, rivers, and woodlands. The National Trust has stated that this conservation effort will cover an extensive area of approximately 10,300 acres, which is roughly equivalent to the size of Portsmouth. Ben McCarthy, the head of nature and restoration ecology at the National Trust, expressed his belief that these locations possess immense potential to significantly enhance biodiversity and carbon capture at a landscape level. He emphasized that by taking meaningful actions on the ground and collaborating with various partners, they can create larger, better-connected habitats that are rich in wildlife. Conservationists are optimistic that this project will benefit various endangered species, including water voles, pine martens, red squirrels, and native white-clawed crayfish. The funding allocated for the Arlington project will also support around 185 acres of conservation work aimed at promoting natural expansion. In the High Peak area of the Peak District, the funding will facilitate restoration efforts across 7,470 acres of moorland habitat, which includes 2,470 acres of degraded blanket bog. Additionally, the National Trust will continue its collaboration with the Yorkshire Peat Partnership and the government’s environment department, Defra, to restore 1,480 acres of peatland in Upper Wharfedale and Malhamdale. The project will also involve the creation of wetlands, woodlands, and grasslands over 172 acres at Wallington. Sophia Weston, the deputy chair of the Garfield Weston Foundation, remarked that the steps taken by the National Trust to carry out this essential conservation work will ensure that nature can thrive in the future.