National Trust plans 250,000 hectares of nature-rich landscapes over 10 years
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The National Trust plans to “ramp up” efforts to protect nature by creating a quarter of a million hectares of wildlife-rich landscapes over the next decade. The conservation charity said it would work with others to create landscapes that are rich in nature, such as restored peatland, both on its own land and off it, over an area equivalent to one-and-a-half times the size of Greater London.
The trust delivered more than 25,000 hectares of priority habitats such as flower-rich meadows and woodlands over the past 10 years, but the 10-fold increase in the target over the next decade will have a wider focus, including farmland managed in a nature-friendly way.
Its new 10-year strategy, drawn up following consultations with 70,000 people including members, volunteers and industry partners, also has measures to tackle unequal access to nature and the nation’s cultural heritage. The strategy includes plans to support 100 towns and cities to transform and expand green spaces, along with new volunteering opportunities and apprenticeships.
People will be invited to sponsor a plot of land at “nature super sites” with the greatest potential for wildlife recovery, including Divis and the Black Mountain in Northern Ireland and Wallington in Northumberland. There is a natural history series for the BBC with Hamza Yassin exploring hidden wildlife gems, a partnership with Mind to help younger people with mental health problems, new high-profile ambassadors, and more local dishes added to the menus at National Trust cafes.
