Grants of up to £75,000 now available for applications through the Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund
Organisations working to restore nature in southern England can now apply for grants of up to £75,000 through the Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund — a new capital funding programme designed to help restore and reconnect the region’s chalk and limestone landscapes.
The fund supports nature recovery projects across southern England — from Dorset to Norfolk — including chalk and limestone grasslands, ancient woodland, and chalk streams. These are some of the UK’s most biodiverse habitats, but many are under threat from climate change, habitat loss, and fragmentation.
The Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund is funded through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, supported by Defra and brings landowners, communities, and conservationists together to deliver nature recovery at scale.
Mary Creagh speaking to National Landscapes Association CEO, John Watkins and Chair, Philip Hygate.
Minister Mary Creagh, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) said of Big Chalk:
“Through the Protected Landscape Partnership, we are investing in Big Chalk – a visionary collaboration across a fifth of England. The new Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund will drive real change on the ground, helping accelerate progress towards our pledge to protect 30% of land for nature by 2020. It's a win for nature and for future generations.”
Professor Sir John Lawton
Professor Sir John Lawton, Author of the landmark Making Space for Nature report, is ambitious for the aims of Big Chalk:
“The most exciting thing about Big Chalk is the sheer scale of the ambition. If we want to bring nature back into our landscapes in a meaningful and lasting way, we have to think big — and we have to work together.”
You can find out more and apply on the Big Chalk website.
