Landscapes, parks and nature | The National Lottery Heritage Fund

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People landscaping in a Japanese garden in Scotland, with a mountain in the background.

Landscaping in the Japanese Garden at Cowden, Scotland. Credit: Devlin Photo Ltd.

Looking after nature and helping people to understand its importance has never been more vital.

Since 1994 we have awarded over £2.1billion of National Lottery and other funding to more than 4,900 land, nature and biodiversity projects across the UK.

Protecting the environment is one of our four Heritage 2033 investment principles. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.

We are prioritising landscape and nature projects that:

support nature’s recovery
deliver nature-based solutions to address climate change
reconnect people to landscapes, marine environments and nature

The climate crisis

The heritage sector has an important role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling climate change. Find out more about what we're doing to tackle the climate crisis.

What we expect from projects we fund

We want all kinds of heritage project, large and small, to:

limit any potential damage on the environment
make a positive impact on the environment and particularly for nature

Read our environmental sustainability guidance.

How to get funding

Our National Lottery Heritage Grants funding programme is open, providing grants from £10,000 up to £10million.

Explore our available funding

Find out more

Discover what projects we fund, and what you could do with our investment to help protect our natural world.

A child holds a butterfly while a guide smiles at him

We support projects that conserve and enhance habitats and protect and preserve the UK's precious species.

Romney Marsh

We expect successful projects to show how they will address the key challenges faced by the UK's landscapes and nature.

Green roof of cafe

Public parks are facing a severe reduction in funding from local authorities. This is how we can help your parks and urban green spaces.

Landscapes, parks and nature

The UK is world renowned for its wealth of historic designed parks, gardens and cemeteries. Here's how our funding can help look after them.

Paul Farmer CEO Mind

Blogs

How green spaces can improve our wellbeing

It’s good to be asked to write this blog to coincide with the publication of the Space to Thrive report.

29/01/2020

Girl using drinking fountain

Making use of the restored drinking fountain

Projects

Rhyddings Park, Oswaldtwistle

Wellbeing sits at the heart of this innovative park restoration project led by the Friends of Rhyddings Park, Newground Together and Hyndburn Borough Council.

17/12/2013

Group stand around park sign

Projects

The heritage restoration and audience development of the Victorian Levengrove Park in Dumbarton

The restored Levengrove Park provides a perfect setting for working with people who experience poor mental health.

24/06/2014

Pink awards show graphics

News

New award to champion sustainability

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is to sponsor a new annual sustainability category at the Museums + Heritage Awards.

22/01/2020

Butterflies fluttering in hedgerow

News

Lifeline for species on verge of extinction

Species on the verge of extinction have been handed a lifeline as £7.4million from The National Lottery is awarded for nature projects across the UK.

09/01/2020

Cows in the fog at Avalon Marshes

Stories

#HeritageTreasures Day 2020 announced

As we reach a new decade, we proudly take a look back at the last 25 years of our heritage funding. We also look forward to the future and how we can continue to support and protect our heritage in a contemporary world. Since 1994, we have supported 44,000 projects and granted £8billion to heritage

Inside a cathedral

Programme

Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage – Emergency Resource Support

Part of the rescue package announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to safeguard cultural and heritage organisations across England from the economic impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Illuminated Biomes at the Eden Project celebrate 25 years of the National Lottery

Stories

Free offers across the UK for National Lottery players

It's to say "Thank You" for raising more than £40billion for good causes over the last 25 years. A celebration of 25 years Last night (20 November), activist and actress Lily Cole flicked the switch to illuminate the Eden Project’s Biomes, transforming them into iconic National Lottery balls. The

Woman in red coat planting a sapling

Stories

10 ways to help make a difference to the natural world

Together, our gardens and outdoor spaces create a vast living landscape. With an estimated 24million gardens in the UK, you can help make a big difference to the natural world right on your doorstep.

News

Chris Packham and Jamal Edwards celebrate 25 years of funding for nature

Funding conservation across the UK Over the past 25 years, The National Lottery has injected £829million into natural heritage conservation across the UK, to help protect and conserve wildlife. This includes: £548m on biodiversity projects £227m supporting important and historic landscapes over 70

08/11/2019

Rowing at Fell Foot

News

25 years of National Lottery love for the UK's great outdoors

Since 1994, more than £550million of National Lottery funding has been invested in over 9,220 nature projects, making sure the UK's special wild places are safeguarded, full of life and open to people across the country. “National Lottery players have contributed so much to the UK’s amazing and

04/11/2019

Venetian Waterways boating lake

Stories

25 years: reviving the forgotten heritage of The Broads

Great Yarmouth A stone’s throw from the heart of The Broads and its sprawling landscape in the East of England, is the seaside town of Great Yarmouth. As we hear more and more that our coastal towns are suffering from neglect, National Lottery funding over the last 25 years has aimed to buck the