The National Lottery Heritage Fund today announced a £5million investment in a ground-breaking initiative to create a huge range of community-led rewilding projects across the UK – improving the lives of local people and leaving a lasting natural legacy in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The funding is part of The National Lottery’s £22million investment to mark the Jubilee and Exeter will benefit with its own project.

Nextdoor Nature is being delivered locally by Devon Wildlife Trust and will give people the skills, tools, and opportunity to take action for nature. The Trust is using a grant of £90,000 over two years to target Nextdoor Nature in Exeter, building on its track record to establish wild habitats and green corridors, rewilding school grounds, and naturalising highly urbanised or unused areas.

The pandemic has demonstrated just how important access to a well-cared for natural environment is to communities across the UK. The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and research shows 85% of people in nature-deprived areas say more natural spaces would improve their quality of life. The majority also say that having access to local natural spaces is more important post-pandemic. Nextdoor Nature will enable people to make this happen and in doing so, take steps to tackle the nature and climate crisis whilst also addressing important health and wellbeing needs.

Penny Mason, Devon Wildlife Trust’s Director of Wilder Living, says:

“We are delighted with the news. Devon Wildlife Trust believes that nature is for everyone and that we all have the right to access and enjoy wildlife rich areas on our doorstep. We also know that if we are going to tackle our climate and ecological emergencies, we need more nature and we need it everywhere.

There is great community energy out there and a real desire to make a difference. This funding will help us to provide expertise and support for community-led initiatives to create a wilder Exeter. Projects could be to create small wild patches, wildflower window boxes, community gardens, meadow banks along road routes, or wilding parts of a local park…initiatives could be of any size, but they will be community-led and help to create a green network across the city.”

In the past decade, Devon Wildlife Trust has been at the forefront of nature-led initiatives locally. It now manages Exeter’s six Valley Parks, while it has also pioneered a Wildlife Champions initiative which has brough nature-based education to thousands of local children. The Trust has also worked with Exeter City Council to establish a network of wildflower meadows across the city bringing colour to local people and a much-needed resource to butterflies, moths and bees.

Simon Thurley, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says:

“As part of The National Lottery family’s £22m investment to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we are delighted to launch Nextdoor Nature, a transformational initiative which will give access to the natural environment to thousands of people who may not have fully enjoyed or appreciated it before. We hope that many people will, for the first time, get hands on with nature creating a new generation of champions for our precious natural environment.”

Liz Bonnin, President of The Wildlife Trusts, says:

“We humans are key to solving the climate crisis and restoring our natural heritage. The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, but Nextdoor Nature is working to set that right, putting local communities at the heart of helping our wild places to recover, and making sure that no matter where we live, we can be part of this crucial endeavour.

“The Wildlife Trusts are firmly rooted in communities and can provide support and advice to those willing to lead the charge in bringing wildlife back to homes and workplaces – in turn inspiring those around them to do the same. we can achieve incredible things when we work together!”

In the words of Sir David Attenborough, President Emeritus of The Wildlife Trusts, “No-one will protect what they don’t care about; and no-one will care about what they have never experienced.”

Anyone interested in finding out more can register here to receive information: wildlifetrusts.org/nextdoor-nature