Land & landscape

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

Granite formations at Rough Tor, Cornwall

Ewes and lambs grazing on Weathercock Hill and distant view of the house at Ashdown House, Oxfordshire

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Green Space Dark Skies trial event at Dinas Dinlle, Snowdonia

Celebrating our right to roam

This year marks 90 years since the mass trespass on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire that led to the right to roam. To celebrate, we're working with arts organisation Walk the Plank and UNBOXED to hold live events at the places in our care as part of the Green Space Dark Skies project. Those taking part in these filmed events at dusk will join thousands of others around the UK to carry low-impact lights across the landscapes they love.

Find your local event and watch the films

An artist impression showing how the viaduct could look

Work gets underway on urban sky park

Plans to create a new urban sky park for Manchester are a step closer to reality with work about to get underway on Castlefield viaduct. Due to open in July, we're aiming to turn the imposing 330 metre steel viaduct into a temporary park in the sky and create a meeting place to benefit people and nature that celebrates the industrial heritage of Castlefield. The pilot phase of this project will see a green space created to stretch half way across the elevation of the viaduct.

Project will restore woodlands, wetlands and farmland — The project will restore woodlands, wetlands and farmland

Working to tackle biodiversity loss

We're working with the University of Exeter to investigate and tackle biodiversity loss. The project, which has received funding of £10m from the Natural Environment Research Council, will work with landowners, businesses, and communities to restore woodlands, wetlands and farmland across the UK.

Find out more

Sand dunes at Formby to become refuge for wildlife

Sand dunes, once used as a dumping ground for waste tobacco, will be transformed into a haven for rare wildlife, including the natterjack toad. The project to restore the 'tobacco cliffs' at Formby in Merseyside involves excavating wedges of sand to create new undulating dunes. This will give the rare toads the best possible conditions to thrive.

Bathampton Meadows looking towards Bath from Batheaston

Green corridor links city of Bath to countryside

A new 'green corridor' became possible when Bathampton Meadows came into our care. The route, likely to start at Bath Abbey, will connect the historic city to the surrounding green spaces. It will be the first of 20 accessible green corridors we'll be creating across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030.

Funding boost for peatland landscapes

Projects to restore peatland in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk have received £815,877 of funding from the Government. Among the places to benefit are Wicken Fen and Heigham Holmes. Find out more about our conservation work and discover why healthy peatland is so important in the battle against climate change.

Protecting peatland

Video

Responding to climate change

Watch this video to uncover how we’re responding to the changing climate at places in our care and why we’re calling on the Government to make bigger commitments and bigger changes in this crucial year of climate action. Through local projects, partnerships and funding, we're working to heal climate harm, everywhere we can. Discover how individual places are adapting, how you can get involved, plus check out our hazard map and what happened at COP26.

Take climate action

Erosion on Brown Tongue, Scafell Pike, Wasdale

Help us reduce erosion at the places we care for

We're pleased that so many of you are enjoying the countryside but we need your help to protect the places in our care against footpath erosion. Find out how increasing visitor numbers, social distancing and winter weather are affecting precious landscapes.

Protect the places you love

Historic landscapes

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.

Way mark sign on Devil's Dyke — Signpost in the sunset on Devil's Dyke

Restoring rare chalk grasslands

Working in partnership with nine other organisations, we’re embarking on a project to restore swathes of precious chalk grassland on the South Downs. In total more than 800 hectares of land will be managed for nature, providing a vital lifeline for wildlife. The project is supported by a £2.23m National Lottery Heritage Fund grant.

Read about the Changing Chalk partnership

A path below trees that are starting to blossom in the gardens at Mottistone — Spring blossom in the gardens at Mottistone

Trees & plants

We care for 25,000 hectares (61,776 acres) of woodland, 135 wild landscape sites and more than 200 gardens, and have as many wonderful stories to tell

Our trees and plants

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.

Geese coming in to roost on Blakeney Freshes

Capturing carbon

Almost three quarters of the most important land in our care is vulnerable to climate change. Not only do these landscapes support wildlife they also store and capture carbon emissions. Find out what we're doing to protect them.

Our latest carbon research

Joe in the tractor tedding the cut hay before baling — Tedding the cut hay helps it to dry and spreads wildflower seeds

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.

Explore the farms

Help nature thrive

Apple blossom and a honey bee in the fruit orchard at Cotehele, Cornwall

Give back to nature

More than ever before, nature has been our source of comfort during difficult times. But climate change is accelerating the decline of these green spaces. Nature gives us so much – donate today and help us protect these places and the wildlife that lives there.

Donate now

Our cause

We protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive. We look after the nation's coastline, historic sites, countryside and green spaces, ensuring everyone benefits.