Nature recovery at national scale

Round 2 of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund invested £40 million in 90 nature projects across England, spanning habitat restoration, climate adaptation and public engagement. The National Lottery Heritage Fund commissioned Wavehill in February 2022 to independently evaluate how that investment translated into delivery, outcomes and value for money.

Wavehill combined programme-wide surveys, thematic workshops, stakeholder interviews and site visits to assess delivery against the programme’s three areas of activity, nature conservation and restoration of habitats, species and ecosystems, nature-based solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation, and connecting people with nature.

Findings showed:
• Conservation and restoration activity directly benefited 122,318 hectares and 587km of land across 965 sites, with over half including a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat, evidence of habitat created and restored at a scale that contributes to national recovery targets.
• Projects delivered nature-based solutions including peatland and woodland restoration, contributing to carbon sequestration and climate resilience alongside the biodiversity gains above
• 244,340 people engaged with nature through 16,779 events, though only a small proportion specifically targeted underrepresented groups, pointing to where future programmes could go further on inclusive engagement.

The evaluation set out how delivery could be structured, supported and monitored over time, informing the design of future environmental funding programmes.

The report is available to read here.

Press coverage: Defra, Access to Nature, Conservation and The Green Recovery Challenge Fund