We're delighted that Network For Nature, a £11.5m joint project between National Highways and The Wildlife Trusts, was recently announced as overall winner of the Biodiversity Challenge Awards, run by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA).

Over five years, the Wildlife Trusts worked in partnership with National Highways to enhance habitats across England, benefiting people, nature, and wildlife. Network for Nature has improved, created, and restored habitats affected by historic road activity.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust was proud to be in this partnership, and we delivered four of the 50 Network for Nature projects here in Cumbria:

• Shap Fells - peatland restoration over 80ha
• Burns Beck Moss Nature Reserve – natural flood management works, including river 'rewiggling', and peatland restoration, near Sedbergh
• Cold Springs and Thacka Beck Nature Reserves– creating and restoring species-rich grassland in Penrith
• Coast to Fell – Creating 29ha of species-rich grassland creation across 16 sites, from lakeside settings near Coniston and Ullswater to upland hay meadows in the Westmorland Dales.

Hazel Jones, Head of Fundraising at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: "Over five years, we were awarded over £1m for these four projects – an amazing amount of money - to work alongside National Highways, improving landscapes across Cumbria, for both people and wildlife. 

"We're so pleased that Network for Nature has been honoured with this award, and are very proud of and grateful to our staff, to National Highways and our many volunteers across the county whose hard work has made these exciting projects a reality. They've all played an important part in helping to restore and reconnect these precious habitats for wildlife."

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