The Wildlife Trusts' £30m bid to buy the 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate in Northumberland appears to have succeeded after the Government announced support of nearly £2m.
The £1.94m package to help The Wildlife Trusts and the Northumberland Wildlife Trust buy the estate from the family of the Duke of Northumberland was announced at the UN Global Biodiversity Conference, COP17, in Armenia.
Fundraising effort reaches 'over the line'
The bid for the estate, a stretch of moorland, woodland, rivers and farmland that includes the Simonside Hills, was first announced three years ago. In August, the wildlife trusts said they were "within touching distance" after a fundraising effort that included multimillion-pound donations and small fundraising efforts in the local community and by nature lovers.
North Northumberland MP David Smith hailed the grant as "great news for Northumberland" which puts the project "over the line". However, with the Government grant and a number of other pledges not due to be released until after the fundraising deadline at the end of October, the trusts are continuing to fundraise and are also exploring how low-interest loans could help the appeal meet its target.
Vision for a nature corridor
The trusts want to create a 40-mile wide "nature corridor" linking the Northumberland Coast to Kielder Forest through the estate, as well as stopping the land being broken up into multiple ownerships. They plan to focus on nature recovery and regenerative farming, with the possibility of re-introducing species such as beaver, bison and golden eagles as longer-term possibilities.
Project leaders say they will work alongside local people and farmers on their plans. They aim to improve the land's resilience to hot and dry summers by re-wetting the landscape, creating pools and ponds, restoring peat bogs, and creating healthier river corridors to help hold water back both in periods of drought and significant rainfall.
Contribution to 30by30 target
The trusts said the commitment to restoration would see the project contribute to the Government's 30by30 target to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.
Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said: "We're thrilled to have the UK Government's support and recognition of the scale of our ambitions at The Rothbury Estate, and this grant will take us another step closer to realising our vision for one of the largest nature recovery projects England has ever seen.
"Together with the millions generously donated by philanthropists, charitable funds and thousands of members of the public, this rubber stamp of approval from the Government makes The Rothbury Estate a nationally significant landscape and we look forward to hearing how our vision for the estate will join with Government plans to deliver 30by30 across the country."
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle said: "Delighted to confirm this Government has stepped in to secure the future of The Rothbury Estate as part of the campaign to protect it for future generations. This will be one of the biggest ever land purchases for nature in England."
