Lottery aid for treasured landscapes

Some of the UK’s most treasured landscapes are set to receive millions of pounds in conservation money.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has earmarked £18.3m to help provide “long-term social, economic and environmental benefits” for 11 areas.

The sites include ancient woodland, reedbeds, marshes, dunes and former industrial land.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Morecambe Bay in north west England and the Wandle Valley – a green corridor running through south London – are among the areas to benefit.

Alongside conservation work, there will be a wide range of training opportunities on offer such as apprenticeships for disadvantaged young people, courses on hedgelaying, drystone walling and traditional dance and music.

Dame Jenny Abramsky, HLF chair, said: “Landscapes speak to the heart, inspiring people in all sorts of ways: be it poetry-writing, architectural design or even just the pleasure of looking at a beautiful view.

“Sadly, they can often be taken for granted which is why the Heritage Lottery Fund, as one of the UK’s biggest funders of the natural heritage, believes the way forward is to put local communities in the driving seat so they can take care of the places that are the backdrop to their daily lives.”