28 July 2021
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2 min read
The projects are designed to boost biodiversity and help combat climate change
Some 90 projects aim to support 2,500 jobs and plant one million trees with grants from Defra's latest funding round
Projects to accelerate nature recovery and support green jobs have received £40m from the latest round of government's Green Recovery Challenge Fund announced today.
The 90 projects securing a share of the funding cover 600 sites country-wide, and are expected to support 2,500 green jobs and plant one million trees, according to Defra.
The Green Recovery Challenge Fund is backed by £80m Defra funding in total, offering grants to charities and small organisations for projects to restore nature, thereby helping to tackle climate change and support biodiversity.
Projects securing funding today include efforts to protect bees, plant trees in cities, and restore wetlands. Others are focused on diversifying access to nature through the creation of green corridors, and offering work opportunities for young people, ex-offenders and military veterans.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said the funding would help support the government's nature targets set out in its 25 Year Environment Plan.
"The diverse and ambitious projects being awarded funding today will help environmental organisations employ more people to work on tree-planting, nature restoration and crucially, help more of the public to access and enjoy the outdoors," she added.
The first round of funding announced last year awarded nearly £40m to 69 green projects, which together are expected to see 800,000 trees planted, alongside restoration and conservation work carried out on wetlands and forests, Defra said.
The fund is backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England, the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission.
Ros Kerslake, chief executive of National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "From wetland restoration, to creating wildlife-rich habitat for bees, it is vital that we value, protect and rebuild our natural heritage. This new funding will not only allow projects to carry out direct conservation which is essential in protecting our biodiversity, but it will increase awareness of how and why we need to change our behaviours in order to protect our future."
