Wildlife Trust Receives Over Half a Million Pounds for Nature Restoration

A wildlife trust has been awarded in excess of £500,000 to support a project aimed at “restore nature”. The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) obtained these funds from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The allocation is designated for enhancing the landscape within the area that links Bernwood, Otmoor, and the River Ray, spanning Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. According to the trust, this funding forms a component of a broader initiative to ultimately secure over £3.5 million in total funding, collaborating with 11 additional organizations. These groups will collaborate on the Reconnecting Bernwood, Otmoor and the Ray project. A declaration from the organization stated that the project “aims to enable long-term landscape and species recovery in the region for the benefit of nature, heritage and people”. The statement further indicated that the specified area possesses “immense potential” for nature recovery, yet the landscape faces “intense pressure from inappropriate development, historic intensive agricultural practices and climate change”. Charlotte Newberry, a representative from the trust, commented: “This funding will allow us to continue to inspire excitement for nature in landowners and communities, listen to underserved voices and foster the existing sense of pride in the area to drive nature’s recovery.” The organization intends to conduct a two-year development phase dedicated to planning habitat management strategies for endangered species such as curlews. The Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Natural Environment Partnership (NEP) endorsed the funding application. Nicola Thomas, representing the NEP, expressed that it was “fantastic” that the project would advance. She further stated: “We look forward to the nature recovery, community, heritage, greenspace and landscape benefits that will result right across the area.” BBOWT plans to collaborate with various organizations, among them Butterfly Conservation, Earthwatch Europe, the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and Wild Oxfordshire.