Sir David Attenborough backs plans to secure an upland North East estate
A conservation campaign to raise £30 million to secure a vast upland estate in Northumberland for nature has celebrated passing the halfway stage thanks to a £5 million lottery grant.
Sir David Attenborough has backed plans to buy the 9,500-acre estate in what the proposers are calling one of the UK’s most ambitious nature recovery projects.
The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust want to buy the estate near Rothbury and boost nature, restore bogs and support environmentally friendly farming.
The estate encompasses grouse moor, woodland, farms, streams and rivers and represents the largest land sale in England for decades.
Fundraising has reached £16 million of the £30 million target, thanks to a £5 million grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
To unlock that £5 million, the Wildlife Trusts must reach their £30 million target by the end of September.
The project has been called “transformational” by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Its chief executive Eilish McGuinness said the scheme will “ensure it is safeguarded for future generations, supporting our vision for heritage to be valued, cared for, and sustained for everyone, now and in the future.”
Liz Bonnin, president of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “This grant is a major step towards securing the beautiful and historic Rothbury Estate for nature and people, long into the future.
“The opportunity for us to shape the next chapter in its story is incredibly exciting, and we are so grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for their backing.
“Not only have they provided incredibly generous financial support, but their enthusiasm and understanding of our vision for this unique and special place has been truly uplifting.”
Mike Pratt, chief executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, added: “While there is still a significant area of land to secure, we’re already working closely with tenant farmers on parts of the estate.
“Together, we’re establishing nature-friendly farming approaches that support wildlife while keeping farms productive.
“It gives us a glimpse of what’s possible.
“With the opportunity to secure the rest of the estate – which we’re that bit closer to realising today – we can scale up this work and create a landscape where farming and nature truly thrive together.”
Sir David has backed the project, praising the remote countryside where walkers scramble over crags and admire the prehistoric rock art.
In a promotional short video, he said the scheme would see conservationists work with farmers to breathe new life into wildlife habitats.
“Please help us make this vision a reality,” he said.