A SCHEME to improve habitats for Worcestershire’s wildlife is celebrating the first anniversary since it received the funding for the project.
The Natural Networks programme was handed £1.2m from the European Regional Development Fund as part of its 2014 to 2020 growth programme.
Thanks to the cash, more than 24 hectares of land and water are due to be improved or restored over the next two years.
The scheme offers advice and funding to projects which aim to create and restore homes for the county’s creatures.
Grants of between £2,000 and £200,000 are available and organisations are being urged to apply for up to 45 per cent of their project’s costs.
The programme offers professional biodiversity surveys carried out by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (WWT) which will assess sites and make recommendations on how to create or enhance habitats for wildlife.
Coun Tony Millar, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “This is such a fantastic programme to help improve our wildlife in Worcestershire.
“Thanks to match-funding, we can increase the amount of money we use to develop our natural environment so I would urge any organisation or community who would like to improve their natural environment to apply.”
Visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/naturalinnetworks to find out more and to apply to the scheme.
