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Welcome to our November newsletter! Read on for the latest nature recovery news, resources and funding opportunities.

Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership win a Television Award

Yorkshire Marine Nature Partnership's animation - The Secret of the Shoal - has won a Royal Television Society Yorkshire Award! The production studio, Little Motel, were there to collect the award.

Many congratulations to YMNP. Little Motel also produced the LNRS animation you can find on our LNP website.

Government response to OEP report on LNRSs published

On 19 June 2025, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) published their review of Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) and their role in contributing to nature recovery commitments in England. The review contains 7 recommendations intended to improve the prospects of LNRSs delivering for national nature recovery commitments, as they are intended to do. 

On 16 October, Defra published the Government’s response to the OEP report on LNRSs. The response has also been formally laid before Parliament. The response provided the opportunity for Government to restate the important role that LNRSs are expected to play in meeting environmental targets and commitments
and to address each of the OEP’s recommendations for how to do this more effectively. There is also a further restatement of government’s commitments to delivery and the links to English Devolution in particular.

Communities face rising environmental threats

Millions of people in England are living with overlapping environmental threats including flooding, air pollution and sewage leaks, according to a constituency-level analysis by Friends of the Earth.

The analysis comes ahead of the publication of the government’s revised climate plan, due by 29 October. Friends of the Earth says the plan must improve people’s lives through measures including lower bills, better home insulation and new green jobs.

Northern Forest partnership celebrates seven years of success

The Northern Forest partnership has released a seven-year report on tree planting across a large area of northern England.

The partnership between four Community Forests (Mersey Forest, City of Trees, White Rose Forest and Humber Forest), Woodland Trust and Community Forest Trust has planted over 10 million trees.

Supported by core funding from Defra and complemented by funded projects through Forestry Commission grant schemes, an additional 339,000 households now live within a ten-minute walk of publicly accessible woodland, delivering significant health and economic benefits.

Humber Forest launches 25-year Plan

The LNP team recently attended the launch of the Humber Forest's 25 Year Plan, which was held at Mires Beck Nursery.

Humber Forest is committed to ensuring that it plants the ‘right tree in the right place for the right reason,’ and to working with communities, landowners and external agencies to increase tree cover and maintain existing woodland.

Since 2020, Humber Forest has planted 292 hectares of trees, equivalent to the area of 453 full-size football pitches, this includes 104 kilometres of hedgerow, equivalent to 49 times the length of the Humber Bridge.

The Strategy will be available on Humber Forest's website soon.

Ashes of Hope

Steve Scott, Head of Learning and Apprenticeships at the Forestry Commission, shares his thoughts on 12 years of observing ash dieback in East Anglia – as some infected trees begin to show signs of recovery.

New woodland offers unique social benefits to local communities

Scientists at Forest Research have investigated public attitudes towards tree programmes and the creation of new woodland. Frequent visitors to new woodlands showed better mental wellbeing than those who never visited. Communities particularly value the benefits to wildlife that new woodlands bring.

Shoals of juvenile salmon, known as smolts struggling with barriers in the River Itchen. Image by Kieran Gillingham

Funding boost supports fish migration in Yorkshire’s rivers 

Over 500km of Yorkshire rivers are opening up as physical barriers, a legacy from the region’s industrial past, are removed in a bid to support fish migration and improve habitats.

Led by the Environment Agency, the Rivers Trust and Yorkshire Water, The Great Yorkshire Rivers Project has set a target to transform the county’s waterways into thriving ecosystems by 2043 by allowing fish to travel freely and breed.

The work is part of a £21m programme to remove or modify structures, many associated with mills and heavy industries that were powered by Yorkshire’s waterways.

York Rivers Trail

Ousewem are developing a new route along the River Ouse to help people see York’s rivers in a new light – blending creativity, climate education, and local stories.

Co-designed with communities and schools, the project invites people to explore how flood resilience and nature-based solutions are shaping a more climate-ready York.

Nature Park Map

Accessible by anyone (no login needed) the Nature Park Map brings together all the data that education settings across the country have gathered and allows anyone to explore all the data collected from various activities in one place.

A method is being developed for users to manipulate and download Nature Park data and creating a suite of resources to go alongside it.  

Launch of 2026 Ashden Awards supporting clean energy and nature projects

Organisations delivering practical responses to climate and energy challenges can apply for the 2026 Ashden Awards. The initiative recognises work that reduces emissions and delivers environmental, social and economic benefits.

The awards aim to highlight approaches that strengthen resilience, support inclusive growth and reduce pollution, while encouraging policy and investment support for renewable energy.

Up to £40,000 is available for each award category, except the Ashden Award for Outstanding Achievement which does not include a grant. Winners will also receive organisational support, media exposure, access to investors and policymakers and the chance to join Ashden's networks.

Eligible applicants include businesses, non-governmental organisations, government bodies, social enterprises and community groups.

Awards will focus on projects improving access to clean energy or protecting and restoring nature. Examples of eligible activities include local renewable energy systems, forest conservation models and clean cooking solutions.

The deadline for applications is 8 December 2025.

Airbnb Invites UK Applications to its Best of Britain Fund

Airbnb, supported by VisitBritain, has launched the new £1 million Best of British Fund in support of hospitality businesses 'to help support the stays, experiences and attractions that make Britain great'.

Sole traders, registered businesses, charitable organisations, and publicly funded organisations can apply for grants of £25,000, £50,000 or £100,000 to be allocated from February 2026.

The funding is for initiatives of all sizes that support the visitor experience and make British travel unforgettable.

Eligible projects should fall into at least one of the following categories:

Nature & Outdoors – submissions that encourage visitors to get outside and explore the very best of UK's rich and diverse landscape.
Food & Dining – submissions that showcase the best of UK food culture, from pubs and street food to world-class cuisine.
Music & Arts – submissions that shine a light on UK's global creative influence, from local festivals and theatre to iconic cultural stories.
Culture & Heritage – submissions which protect, restore or celebrate UK's rich history and traditions.

Applicants need to make the case that a grant would support their organisation to make the visitor experience and local tourism even stronger in their local area.

The deadline for applications is 23 November 2025.

Funding to Support Historic Designed Landscapes Across the UK

The Gardens Trust is offering grants of up to £8,000 for volunteer groups across the UK to help seed-fund projects that will improve, enhance, and support historic designed landscapes.

The Gardens Trust Community Grants Fund will support both capital and revenue costs related to historic designed landscape projects. Priority will be given to:

• Seed-funding or pump-priming for a sustainable activity, such as a restoration plan, Friends Group set-up costs, research project, or volunteer training schemes.
• Applications that reflect the Trust priorities around conservation, knowledge sharing, and encouraging participation and enjoyment of historic landscapes.

Preference will be given to smaller charities and projects that will be completed within 18 months of the application.

The deadline for applications is 14 November 2025. 

Calisen Impact Charitable Trust Announces Funding Priorities

This Manchester based charity offers grants of up to £10,000 to UK registered charities based and working in England, Scotland or Wales.

The funding will support the costs of projects that align with the Trust’s core objectives which are:

• Youth Empowerment, Children's Play and Safe Spaces
• Hospice and Palliative Care
• Community-Based Social Benefit Projects 
• Community-Led Environmental Action
• Net-Zero and Energy Efficiency Projects 

Priority for the first four categories is given to areas where Calisen operates and where their employees live to ensure their support is rooted in the communities they know best.

The fifth category, Net-Zero and Energy Efficiency Projects, is open to eligible charities across Great Britain, provided their core mission aligns with one of the other four funding areas.

The funding is to be used for project costs and will not support salary costs, capital expenditures or contributions to the cost of overheads.

Applications may be submitted at any time throughout the year.

The next deadline for applications is 31 December for decisions on 31 January 2026.

Get in touch!

Do you have any projects you wish to share with us? Want to hear more about our work? email us at heylnp@eastriding.gov.uk