Nidderdale and Yorkshire Dales woodland restoration project seeks £600,000 lottery funding

A major project to restore ancient woodlands across the Yorkshire Dales and Nidderdale could get a £640,000 boost from the National Lottery.

North Yorkshire Council is joining a bid led by the Woodland Trust to develop a large-scale woodland restoration programme across the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale National Landscape.

The partnership hopes to secure £643,746 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a two-year project to identify woodlands in need of restoration and draw up plans to improve their condition.

A council report published this week says ancient woodlands, defined as areas continuously wooded since at least 1600, support important wildlife and ecosystems but have not received the management needed to support nature recovery.

The report states: “There is a significant amount of ancient woodland within the National Landscape, and we want to work with landowners to ensure that this is managed appropriately.

“To date we have not had sufficient resources to undertake the scale of ancient woodland management required to deliver nature recovery across this habitat.”

The proposed project would involve surveying and mapping ancient woodlands, working with landowners and identifying opportunities and obstacles to restoration.

It would also examine options for managing deer populations, which can affect woodland regeneration.

North Yorkshire Council’s share of the proposed funding would be £201,061, allowing its Nidderdale National Landscape team to employ a full-time woodland officer and a part-time engagement officer for two years.

The council would contribute a further £35,482 in match funding, drawn from an existing government grant provided by Defra, bringing its total project budget to £236,543.

The wider partnership includes the Woodland Trust, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and White Rose Forest, which is hosted by Kirklees Council.

The initial funding would not pay for the full restoration programme.

Instead, it would support the surveys, landowner discussions and detailed planning needed to prepare a subsequent bid for money to carry out the work.

The council says the project would help protect biodiversity, improve woodland management and ensure existing woodlands continue to store carbon.

The Woodland Trust intends to submit the application in November, with the proposed development project running from April 2027 to March 2029 if funding is approved.

A further funding application would then be needed before large-scale restoration work could begin.