The Heritage Fund has awarded £94,815 to Worcestershire Wildlife Trust to help them develop a £3.6 million project, A Network for Nature, to help restore nature and to connect people to the wildlife on their doorsteps. Following decades of decline, it is estimated that one in six UK species is at risk of extinction.

The Trust will work with multiple partners across 418km², encompassing the historic Forest of Feckenham, to reconnect people to the natural and cultural history of the area in a bid to help nature bounce back. 

The county-wide charity already works with farmers in the area and is looking to expand this work to include community groups, schools, gardeners and businesses.

Mike Perry, Chief Executive of the Trust, explained “A Network for Nature is a wonderful opportunity to help both wildlife and people in the east of our beautiful county. We’d like to say a huge thank you to players of the National Lottery who, through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, are helping to fund the first phase of this ambitious project.

“We already have the support of many landowners, communities and businesses in the area and this funding will allow us to spend the next 15 months developing the full project, working with even more people to see how, together, we can make this nature recovery project bring east Worcestershire back to life.

“This is the largest nature restoration project the Trust will have ever undertaken - should we be successful in applying for funding for the full project at the end of this first phase, we will be looking at a five year, multi-million pound scheme to help wildlife in the Forest of Feckenham and beyond.

“We’d like to work with as many landowners and communities as possible to connect and create natural corridors throughout the landscape. This is essential for wildlife and will also be better for our health and wellbeing as well as for food production and water quality.”

The first phase of the project will allow the Trust to employ a member of staff to connect with landowners and community groups to explore options for nature’s recovery in the area. This might include investigating ways to improve soil health on farms or connecting local people with the cultural and natural history of their area.

At the heart of the project will be the expansion of the Trust’s Trench Wood nature reserve. The Trust has two years to raise funds to buy 40 hectares of woodland and farmland next to Trench Wood, helping to make this fragile woodland and its wildlife more resilient to climate change and creating an important stronghold from which wildlife can spread into the surrounding landscape.