Community Nature Fund Update

14 October 2026

As part of our enhanced funding from Defra this year we have created a new Community Nature Fund to ensure that communities are able to support local wildlife and habitat conservation, and also to support groups who want to have better access and stronger connections to nature.

So far, we have allocated the following grants:

£2500 to the Sahara group in Preston: training up volunteers and running visits to the countryside across Bowland this Autumn

£2925 to the Clarion House near Newchurch in Pendle, to extend their wildlife habitats, particularly the wildflower meadow, and to train up volunteers in how to manage it via a scything course.

£7000 to Gressingham Village Trust to develop a new community orchard and to support their swift project – putting up nest boxes around the village

£2500 to Breaking Cycles to develop a series of 'Forest Family' sessions for intergenerational groups looking to connect with nature in the Dunsop Bridge area

£5000 to Wellness Walks to recruit and train 6 volunteer health walk leaders in the area. For more information see https://wellnesswalks.org.uk/forest-of-bowland-volunteer-scheme-2026

£5000 to Martholme Greenway to repair dry stone walls in Gooseleach wood, led by a professional and training up volunteers to continue this endless repair work!