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Landscapes, parks and nature

Landscapes, parks and nature

People landscaping in a Japanese garden in Scotland, with a mountain in the background.
Landscaping in the Japanese Garden at Cowden, Scotland Credit: Devlin Photo Ltd
Looking after nature and helping people to understand its importance has never been more vital.

Since 1994 we have awarded £2billion to 4,700 land, nature and biodiversity projects across the UK. 

Protecting the environment is one of our four Heritage 2033 investment principles.

We are prioritising landscape and nature projects that:

  • support nature’s recovery
  • deliver nature-based solutions to address climate change
  • reconnect people to landscapes and nature

The climate crisis

The heritage sector has an important role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling climate change. Find out more about what we're doing to tackle the climate crisis.

What we expect from projects we fund

We want all kinds of heritage project, large and small, to:

  • limit any potential damage on the environment
  • make a positive impact on the environment and particularly for nature

Read more about our environmental sustainability requirements.

Read our environmental sustainability guidance.

Discovering wildlife at Thatcham

Find out more

Discover what projects we fund, and what you could do with our investment.

Butterfly

We support projects that conserve and enhance habitats and protect and preserve the UK's precious species.

What we fund
Romney Marsh

We expect successful projects to show how they will address the key challenges faced by the UK's landscapes and nature.

What we fund
Green roof of cafe

Public parks are facing a severe reduction in funding from local authorities. This is how we can help your parks and urban green spaces.

What we fund

The UK is world renowned for its wealth of historic designed parks, gardens and cemeteries. Here's how our funding can help look after them.

What we fund
An adult talks to a child wearing a head scarf.
Learning Through Landscapes delivered the My School My Planet project. Photo: Simon Hadley.

Blogs

How Walsall’s heritage is thriving

Our Engagement Manager, Natalie Osborne, shares the successful heritage work of Walsall – one of our 13 Areas of Focus.
Wooden planters containing flowering plants on the platform of a train station.
Planters with flowering plants at Abergavenny train station.

Projects

Transport for Wales Green Routes

Transport for Wales (TfW) boosted biodiversity and encouraged wildlife at 25 railway stations and five community sites.

Workers chop down trees overhanging a stretch of overgrown canal
Restoring the Welsh section of the Montgomery canal included removing overhanging trees.

Projects

Luronium Futures: preserving rare plants on the Montgomery Canal

The Canal and River Trust’s project improved the condition of the Welsh stretch of the Montgomery Canal which is home to rare British wildlife species.

An oyster in the water
Oysters are being restored to Conwy Bay.

Projects

Restoring the habitats of wild oysters in Conwy Bay

ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and Bangor University are restoring native oyster habitats in Conwy Bay to improve marine biodiversity, increase coastal resilience and re-connect people with their coastal heritage.

A person holding a shell.

Programme

Nature Networks Fund (round three)

This fund aims to strengthen the resilience of Wales’ network of protected land and marine sites, building capacity to strengthen and upscale future delivery for nature, and actively encouraging community engagement.
Two people are stood in front of the new bridge in Faughan Valley woodlands. Next to them is a sign to introduce the woodlands and has the Heritage Fund logo on it.
Northern Ireland Committee Chair Mukesh Sharma with Denise Murphy from The Woodland Trust at the new footbridge, which links Brackfield and Red Brae Woods.

Projects

Faughan Valley’s ancient woodlands open to the public

The Woodland Trust project is reconnecting people with the outdoors by using trees and woodlands to build a resilient landscape that’s a haven for wildlife.