£100,000 awarded to New Forest authority for scheme to help tackle climate crisis
They're one of 27 organisations across England awarded some money
The New Forest National Park Authority have been awarded £100,000 to develop a project that will help tackle climate crisis and improve investment into nature.
The grant has come from the £10 million Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund from Defra, the Environment Agency and Natural England, with all the money helping run projects and schemes to make the country more green.
The Authority will use the funding to trial a new model that can contribute to restoring nature in the National Park, with potential to replicate the approach across the UK, helping more parks along the way.
With this grant, the project will look at where arable farmland and low-quality grasslands could be turned into woodlands and wetlands.
It's hoped these changes would help enhance nature, capture carbon and improve water quality.
Professor Gavin Parker, Chair of the National Park Authority, said:
"Securing the grant is great news. The pilot will help accelerate the development of markets for environmental services here in the Solent area and we are excited to be working with Palladium and partners to develop this innovative approach over the next 12 months.
"There is a demand from government, communities and the commercial sector for environmental services such as carbon sequestration, better wildlife habitats, clean water and reduction of flood risk. Landowners can deliver these solutions, if there is a revenue stream that incentivises them to do so.
"The grant enables us to take the lead on tackling climate change across the National Park by developing innovative solutions to our twin environmental crises: climate change and biodiversity loss. Delivering nature-based climate solutions is key to meeting climate change goals and this funding will provide a key mechanism to help finance these ambitions."
The New Forest NPA is one of 27 organisations across England awarded up to £100,000 each as part of the government fund.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:
"To tackle the environmental challenges we face from climate change and biodiversity loss, it is crucial that domestic natural environment projects are able to attract private investment alongside support from the public sector.
"Unleashing innovation and growing new sources of finance, such as through the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund, are fundamental for delivering nature recovery and developing nature-based solutions to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050."