Nature Restoration Fund – The NEN

Investing in Scotland’s natural resources

Funding to help local authorities restore biodiversity

Local authorities will directly receive £10 million to support new, or to enhance existing, approaches to restoring biodiversity through the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF).

More than £55 million has been awarded via the NRF since its launch in 2021 for projects delivering habitat and species restoration, coastal and marine initiatives and control of invasive non-native species.

Acting Minister for Climate Action, Dr Alasdair Allan said: “Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, and is essential for sustaining the ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services.

“We know there is an urgent need to act decisively to address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change together.

“Just like climate change, the loss of species and degradation of our natural environment is an existential threat to humanity. We have a vision for a future where Scotland’s natural environment is restored and supports thriving communities and wildlife alike.

“The Nature Restoration Fund is a vital mechanism to support projects across Scotland on land and at sea – that address the twin crises and restore our natural environment and supports a whole-of society approach to achieving these goals.”

The Edinburgh Process strand of the NRF provides funding direct to Local Authorities to deliver nature restoration projects in their communities, sitting alongside the NRF strand administered by NatureScot.

This latest allocation will bring the total allocated to Local Authorities through the Edinburgh Process strand to £32 million, since 2021.

The NRF aims to help local authorities and their partners protect and restore Scotland’s biodiversity on land and sea.

The Fund has five strategic themes that will be delivered across all the funding streams:

Habitat and species restoration: Management for enhancement and connectivity
Freshwater restoration, including restoration of natural flows in rural catchments
Coastal and marine initiatives which promote restoration, recovery, enhancement or resilience
Control of invasive non-native species (INNS) impacting on nature
Urban: Enhancing and connecting nature across, and between, towns and cities

The Edinburgh Process strand seeks to deliver the five strategic priorities through sub-national delivery. This approach can deliver multiple benefits like supporting health and well-being, green jobs, air and water quality improvements in addition to supporting nature recovery.

NatureScot Chair Colin Galbraith said: “The Nature Restoration Fund is helping environmental groups, communities and local authorities across Scotland take vital action for Scotland’s nature now.

“It’s crucial that we do everything we can to respond to the twin crises of nature loss and climate change. With this kind of support, we can make a positive and lasting difference that will put our land, seas and wildlife back on the road to recovery. This is not only good for nature, but good for people too as we all benefit from a healthy and thriving natural world.”

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework for biodiversity, including the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 and Delivery Plan to 2030, published in November 2024, sets out our ambition and plans to halt the loss of nature by 2030 and make significant progress to restoring nature by 2045.

Saving Scotland’s nature is ‘a top priority’

Over £30 million invested in restoration projects

Around 150 projects across Scotland have received support from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund since its launch in 2021.

More than £30 million has been invested to date, either directly to projects and community groups or through Scotland’s 32 local authorities and two National Parks.

The flagship fund, administered by NatureScot, aims to restore species and habitats, protect marine and coastal areas, eradicate invasive, non-native species, and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.

Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater visited the Pentland to Portobello Greening Project to see works completed with support from the Nature Restoration Fund. The project received a grant of £201,556.42 to improve, connect and expand existing green spaces in mostly deprived areas of Edinburgh.

Ms Slater said: “I’m proud that since establishing the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund at COP26 in Glasgow we’ve already invested £30 million in projects large and small to protect and enhance our rivers, land and seas.

“This is making an important contribution to the goals established in Scotland’s new Biodiversity Strategy to be nature positive and to reverse the declines in nature.

“Right now, we’re consulting on the first 5-year Delivery Plan to implement our Biodiversity strategy – along with proposals for new targets for nature restoration that could be put into law, in line with those for climate change.

“Biodiversity can help mitigate against flooding, improve access to greenspace in our urban areas: it is our best chance to adapt to climate change and ensure a legacy for future generations.”

NatureScot Chair Professor Colin Galbraith said: “The Nature Restoration Fund is vital in tackling the nature and climate crises, with significant work taking place across the country to help put nature back on the road to recovery.

“Flower meadows, hedgerows and wetlands are being restored, creating habitats for wildlife. Rivers are being returned to their natural courses to reduce flooding, whilst large areas of Scotland’s rainforest are being enhanced.

“We are incredibly proud to support the work that individuals, communities, and organisations are doing to help Scotland become a nature-rich, net-zero nation.”

Developing Nature Networks

Additional £5 million from Nature Restoration Fund to enhance biodiversity

Scotland’s councils will invest £5 million this year to develop Nature Networks across the country to help tackle the nature and climate crises.

The funding from the Scottish Government will allow local authorities to develop new woodlands, hedgerows, wildflower meadows and ponds, as well as restoring and joining together existing natural habitats that are important for wild plants and animals. Nature Networks provide the opportunity to create and improve active travel spaces, mitigate against flood risk, and give spaces for people and communities to enjoy the natural environment.

The Scottish Government has committed to ensuring every local authority has a thriving Nature Network. Using practical guidance, local authorities and communities can put in place projects that best meet their priorities for nature and climate change.

Local Government Empowerment and Planning Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “We are facing twin climate and nature crises, and we have a responsibility to protect our natural environment for future generations.

“Local authorities have a key role to play through their engagement with communities to identify shared priorities and the projects that will best allow these to be met.

“The additional £5 million from the Nature Restoration Fund will allow councils to develop Nature Networks and build on the good work already delivered through support from the fund to support new, or to enhance existing, approaches to restoring biodiversity.

“One of the key drivers of biodiversity loss is changes to how land is used, causing habitats to be lost and/or broken up. Remaining habitats are often isolated and less resilient, meaning they struggle to support healthy plant and animal populations in the way they once did. If we are to reverse declines in biodiversity, it is vital to address this by developing robust networks for nature across Scotland.”

Jo Pike, Chief Executive, Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “The Scottish Government has recognised that nature is in crisis and that concerted action will be required to tackle the twin crises of nature loss and climate change.

“We welcome the focus on nature networks as a way of stepping up our approach to bringing about nature’s recovery.

“Since 2019, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has been working with the City of Edinburgh Council, with input from a host of community organisations, to develop the Edinburgh Nature Network, which is the first of its kind.

“Every local authority is different but we hope that the methodology, which focuses strongly on local circumstances, will provide a sound foundation for work across Scotland.”

£55 million for nature restoration and biodiversity projects

Projects that restore nature and tackle the causes of biodiversity loss will benefit from a share of at least £13.5 million annually through a Scottish Government fund set up following agreement with the Scottish Green Party.

The Nature Restoration Fund will fund projects that address the biodiversity and climate crisis by putting Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery.

A Programme for Government commitment, the fund comprises a multi-year package of at least £55 million over the next five years.

On Nature Day at COP26, the First Minister and Minister Patrick Harvie visited the Seven Lochs project in Easterhouse to meet members of local community youth groups and take part in wildflower planting near a new habitat for endangered water voles.

Seven Lochs is a partnership project which has received funding from both the Biodiversity Challenge Fund and the Green Infrastructure Fund.

The First Minister said: “Today’s investment is our biggest ever grant scheme specifically targeted at nature restoration, reaffirming our commitment to addressing the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change.

“Most importantly, following the UK government’s withdrawal from the EU Life scheme, it will enable large-scale, multi-year, projects of the kind which are simply not possible with annual grants.

“We have reached a critical juncture for action – with the hosting of COP26 here in Glasgow and COP15 in Kunming, China next Spring – and we in Scotland are playing a leading role.

“Through our leadership of the Edinburgh Process we are working to build commitment among governments around the world to raise the ambition at next year’s COP15 international biodiversity summit, in line with our own goal to halt the ongoing loss of nature by 2030.

“In addition today am delighted to formally endorsed the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, further embedding Scotland’s place among leading nations with the highest environmental ambition.”

Mr Harvie said: “We are a part of nature, not apart from it. If we can’t support nature then we can’t support humanity. Scotland is committed to ramping up nature based solutions that create a greener, fairer and more prosperous nation for all.

“This funding will mean new projects going forward across Scotland – on land and at sea – that address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, restore our natural environment and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities.”

Deborah Long, Chief Officer at Scottish Environment LINK, the forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, said: “The Nature Restoration Fund is a hugely important weapon in our fight against nature loss and climate change.

“By investing in multi-year, multi scale projects, focussed on the species and habitats that need most help, a future for Scotland’s nature, young people and communities across Scotland looks a lot more promising.”

The Nature Restoration Fund supports action on the ground to address the biodiversity and climate crises by aiding nature restoration in Scotland’s terrestrial and marine environment, enabling transformative change through large-scale, multi-year, multi-partner projects.

This forms part of the wider commitment to invest £500 million in the natural economy over the course of the parliament to support a transformative approach to protecting and restoring Scotland’s biodiversity.

Funding will comprise of at least £13.5 million for each year of the current Parliament session (£11 million CDEL and £2.5 million RDEL per year), plus £1 million across the Parliament for administrative costs.

Funding for Nature

£10 million for local and national projects

Projects that restore nature, safeguard wildlife and tackle the causes of biodiversity loss and climate change will get a share of £10 million through a new Scottish Government fund.

The Nature Restoration Fund will support a mix of urban and rural-focused projects, such as improving greenspace for outdoor learning, green active travel routes, planting of wildlife corridors and natural flood management.

Half of the funding will go to local authorities to develop new or existing projects which help address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, but which also aim to promote the health and wellbeing of local communities and reduce inequalities.

The remaining £5 million will include a small project competitive fund of £1 million to be distributed by NatureScot, and the balance will go directly to established nature restoration projects across Scotland, including native-tree planting, nature restoration in rivers, lochs and coasts, and improving and connecting habitats.

To announce the new funding, Environment Minister Mairi McAllan (below) visited Malls Mire, a community regeneration project in North Toryglen, Glasgow where 15 hectares of land has been turned by Clyde Gateway and Urban Roots into park, wetland and woodland with accessible paths.

She said: “Our new £10 million fund will help address the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change in a way that supports Scotland’s urban and rural communities and tackles inequalities.

“And it’s just one of a range of actions we’re taking. From our ground breaking work leading the international ‘Edinburgh Process’ to investing in locally driven nature restoration projects in urban, rural and coastal Scotland, we’re helping to improve the health and wellbeing of communities, improve air and water quality, create green jobs and tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.

“As we prepare to welcome COP26 to Glasgow later this year, we’re committed to raising our ambition for nature’s recovery. Our Statement of Intent sets out our ambitions and includes a new voluntary commitment to protect 30% of our land for nature by 2030.”

NatureScot Chief Executive Francesca Osowska said: “More people than ever now understand and support the need to put nature at the heart of our recovery from the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. With COP15 and COP26 coming up, Scotland has a huge opportunity to address the many challenges and pressures that nature is facing.

“This £10 million investment is a significant boost for nature restoration, allowing us to support many more projects working to put our woodlands, peatlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery – taking carbon out of the atmosphere, adapting to climate change and reducing the risks of flood, drought and wildfire.

“These nature-based solutions will not only help us reach net zero by 2045, they’ll provide the nature-rich future we need for a healthier, more resilient Scotland.”

The competitive element of the Nature Restoration Fund is now open for applications, with a closing date of 27 July. See the NatureScot website for application details.