One of Lincolnshire’s largest remaining grassland habitats is a step closer to being saved thanks to a £1,000,000 grant from Biffa Award: a multi-million pound fund that helps build communities and transform lives by awarding grants to community and environmental projects across England and Northern Ireland through the Government’s Landfill Communities Fund.
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is working to secure 87.65 hectares (around 217 acres) of rare grassland near Hawthorpe in south-west Lincolnshire, running along the banks of the East Glen River. The land sits within one of the county’s most nature-depleted landscapes, surrounded by intensively farmed land, and represents a rare opportunity to protect and restore a large, connected area of wildlife-rich habitat.
The site supports a mosaic of grassland habitats and is already home to species including skylark, yellowhammer, short-eared owl, bees and butterflies, and a wide range of wildflowers. Securing the land will enable long-term, nature-friendly management, improving soil health, storing carbon, supporting natural flood management, and building resilience to climate change.
Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is running a major fundraising campaign to raise £1.4 million to purchase the land and protect it in perpetuity as a nature reserve. The Biffa Award grant represents a significant milestone for the project and comes alongside a strong public response, with thousands of pounds already donated by supporters.
Paul Learoyd, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, said:
“Biffa Award’s support is transformational for this project, and we are incredibly grateful for this £1 million grant. It allows us to secure 87.65 hectares of land that is already rich in wildlife and full of potential, and to protect it for nature and people for generations to come.”
“This major show of confidence from Biffa Award comes alongside a powerful response from our supporters, showing just how strongly people feel about saving this special place. With such significant backing in place, every additional donation now makes a real difference, helping to turn this opportunity into a lasting nature reserve and unlocking the full potential of the site.”
Rachel Maidment, Biffa Award Grants Manager, said:
“Biffa Award is extremely proud to support Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust in securing one of the county’s largest remaining grassland habitats. Protecting and restoring 87.65 hectares of wildlife-rich land will deliver huge benefits for nature, climate resilience and local communities for generations to come. This is exactly the kind of transformational project our funding is designed to make possible.”
Individuals and companies wishing to support Hawthorpe and nature in Lincolnshire can find out more and donate on the Hawthorpe Appeal page here.