Land & landscape

We look after 250,000 hectares of countryside and more than 780 miles of coastline, keeping them accessible for future generations

C3 Landscape 3rd - Winter sunset on Darland Banks - Nigel Leonard

I'm interested in...

Clivedens autumn woodlands 2017

Woodland sounds make us feel good 

Wind rustling through the trees and birdsong in the air, the sounds of woodlands can have a direct impact on our wellbeing. New research shows that being surrounded by the sounds of nature is one of the best ways to unwind and has a more calming effect than other techniques such as meditative apps or silence.

Boost your wellbeing
Views like this of Long Mynd from Haddon Hill are under threat

Heather landscapes threatened by climate change  

In late summer the hills at Long Mynd in Shropshire and Holnicote in Exmoor are normally carpeted with purple heather. This year most of the heather at these treasured landscapes in our care didn't bloom because of climate change. Find out what we're doing to get the heather flowering again.

Heather landscapes threatened by climate change
An archive image of the people marching in the 1932 Kinder Scout trespass overlaid onto a modern day image of the landscape

Unearthing stories of passion and protest 

Many of our places have connections to protests, mass social movements and the development of the rights we enjoy today. This year as we mark 200 years since the Peterloo Massacre, a turning point in our democracy, we’ll be exploring these relationships with a year-long programme of events, exhibitions, podcasts and more.

Explore the tales of passion and protest
The surface remains of Levant Mine, near St Just, Cornwall, including stacks and beam engine houses

World Heritage sites 

We care for special places across the UK. Find out more about the few that have been recognised as globally important World Heritage sites.

Aerial view of the White Horse Uffington Oxfordshire

What the historic landscape means to us 

With the help of archaeology, aerial photographs and land surveys, we're uncovering the hidden secrets of our historic landscapes.

Dig into buried history
River Derwent

Riverlands: how we keep our rivers flowing 

Rivers are the lifeblood of our landscapes, but now they’re in trouble – and so is the wildlife that depends on them. We’re determined to reverse this decline with an ambitious restoration project to bring our rivers, streams, brooks and becks flowing back to life.

Ranger inspecting sunflowers at Rhossili and South Gower Coast, Wales

Meet our rangers 

From counting grey seals to caring for wildflower meadows, our rangers go to extraordinary lengths to look after nature. Learn more about their work and meet some of the men and women who work hard throughout the year to protect the countryside.

Our rangers and their work
A volunteer clearing bracken on a National Trust Working Holiday at Bosigran Farm, Cornwall

Experience a working holiday 

You can actively help to protect our beautiful countryside on a holiday with a difference. Work alongside our rangers on vital countryside tasks whilst immersed in wild heathland, ancient woods or coastal views.

More about working holidays

Why planning matters...

The River Ouse flooding at Sheffield Park

Why we care about planning 

We care about the protection of the places that matter. That's why the work we do with the land-use planning is so important.

Damp footprints on the rocks at Poldhu Cove on the Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall

How we engage in planning: our role as a developer 

In the course of our work, we're responsible for some new developments, which means that we're a participant in the planning system.

Joe in the tractor tedding the cut hay before baling

Working with the landscape 

With the landscape as their most valuable resource, our tenant farmers are working hard to protect it, meaning delicious local and seasonal food all year round.

Looking towards Stonehenge from King Barrows Ridge

Stonehenge A303 road improvement scheme 

The A303 divides and blights the Stonehenge World Heritage Site - one of the most important prehistoric landscapes in Europe. An ambitious plan to divert traffic through a tunnel beneath the site could provide an overall benefit to the whole World Heritage Site, providing it is located and designed with the utmost care.

Find out our views on the plans

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We're a charity and rely on your donations to help our conservation work

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Volunteer

Each year thousands of volunteers join us in caring for all the special places you love

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