The National Landscapes Association and the Gower Society are delighted to announce that we’ve been awarded £265,000 in development funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund through the Landscape Connections programme.

This marks a major milestone in our shared mission to protect and restore the unique natural heritage of the Gower National Landscape. Our project, Gower Landscape Connections, is a nature recovery initiative focused on safeguarding key habitats across the Gower, including commons, woodlands, salt marshes and coastal grasslands.

Over the next 18 months we’ll work closely with landowners, conservationists and community partners to co-create evidence-based management plans that support the area’s long-term ecological health. Alongside this, we’ll be engaging citizens from across the Swansea region - particularly young people and underrepresented communities - through education, volunteering, and outreach activities that will help build skills, deepen connection to the area and widen access to Gower’s incredible landscapes.

Gower Landscape Connections Project Lead Officer, Ieuan Llyr Jones, said: “This funding is a hugely exciting step forward for nature recovery in Gower. It gives us the opportunity to work alongside local communities, land managers, and conservation partners to build a shared vision for a healthier, more resilient landscape.

“Gower is rich in natural heritage, and this project is about connecting people to that heritage, and to each other, in ways that deliver real, lasting benefits for nature and society. I’m thrilled to be leading this work and can’t wait to get started.”

This initial development phase will build partnerships, evidence and momentum needed for a much larger, future delivery phase that will bring lasting ecological and social benefits to the region, and we're now recruiting to two new roles to drive the project forward.

We’re incredibly grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and our partners for making this work possible.

Look out for updates, opportunities to get involved and more as the project takes shape. If you’re interested in getting involved, whether you have a background or interest in land management, conservation, or community engagement, we’d love to hear from you.

For more information Ieuan Llyr Jones.