The UK Government has announced a £30 million investment aimed at restoring and expanding wildlife habitats across England’s most cherished natural landscapes, including National Parks, National Landscapes, and the Broads. The initiative is part of a broader national strategy to protect 30% of land for nature by 2030 and reverse long-term biodiversity decline.
The funding will be delivered through a new Wildlife-Rich Habitat Fund over three years, supporting large-scale restoration projects across iconic regions such as Dartmoor and the Lake District. The programme aims to create and improve thousands of hectares of habitat for threatened species, including hedgehogs, water voles, hazel dormice, and declining bird species such as curlews and turtle doves.
Officials say habitat loss remains one of the key drivers of wildlife decline, and the initiative is designed to address degradation through targeted restoration, including peatland recovery, wetland rehabilitation, and native woodland creation. One example already underway is a restoration project in the Peak District, where over 80 hectares of moorland at Gun Moor is being transformed through peat re-wetting, wet heath restoration, and new woodland planting.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh described the programme as part of a wider effort to restore England’s natural ecosystems and strengthen biodiversity. She highlighted that increased investment in protected landscapes will help bring back wildlife, improve ecosystem health, and support national environmental goals.
Environmental organisations and conservation leaders have welcomed the announcement, noting that protected landscapes play a critical role in preserving biodiversity and connecting communities with nature. The Wildlife Trusts emphasised the urgency of reversing habitat loss, while the Nature Friendly Farming Network highlighted the importance of farmers and land managers in delivering effective restoration at scale.
The fund will operate through existing conservation structures and will involve collaboration between government agencies, conservation groups, farmers, and local communities. Projects will be guided by local nature recovery strategies and landscape management plans to ensure region-specific ecological priorities are addressed.
The initiative builds on earlier government commitments, including £90 million allocated for species recovery projects, and forms part of the broader “Wild Again” programme aimed at halting species decline by 2030. It also supports the UK’s legal environmental targets under the Environment Act, including restoring over 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042.
Officials say the programme represents a long-term commitment to restoring England’s natural environment while strengthening resilience against climate change and improving the quality of ecosystems across some of the country’s most valued landscapes.
