Thank You, Reece Foundation: Powering the Warksburn Catchment’s Path to Landscape Recovery

Every big landscape starts with a small spark. For the Warksburn Catchment in South West Northumberland, that spark was a group of landowners who wanted to plant some trees and make sense of a fast-changing world of environmental grants.

Natural World Fund is delighted to say a big thank you to the Reece Foundation, whose support has turned that spark into real progress on the ground.

Where it began

The project began with local landowners asking for help navigating changing environmental funding. Richard Wilson and Andrea Baggio, now of Natural World Fund, first worked with them through their previous roles at the Forestry Commission. When all 37 landowners in the catchment were invited to an open meeting, more than 90% of the land ownership was represented. Each person shared their vision, the opportunities they saw and the barriers in their way. Since then, around another 5% of the catchment has asked to join.

The appetite was clear, but the route to funding was not. As a government department, the Forestry Commission couldn’t apply for funding on behalf of landowners, and the other organisations approached lacked either the capacity or the funds, or the project didn’t fit their core objectives. With no large landowner able to lead and cover the cost of a bid, the project risked stalling before it began. So Natural World Fund took it on.

The Reece Foundation stepped in

Many funders want something in return. The Reece Foundation backed this work because it is the right thing to do for the land and for the people who live and work on it.

The Foundation approved £25,000 to support the application phase of a Landscape Recovery bid and that early investment has gone a long way. It has helped us to:

• Build the evidence base, including a completed soil survey by Dr. Luke Beesley from the University of Salford, initial ecological and hydrological assessments, and the installation of monitoring equipment
• Engage landowners through structured conversations and a commencement meeting in February that began forming a catchment-wide partnership
• Dafting recovery plans, focussing on what is best for each particular area
• Attract further investment: a grant from Northumbrian Water will fund at least 12 months of flow sensors, hydrological monitoring and water quality and sediment data across the catchment

Put simply, without the Reece Foundation, Natural World Fund’s Warksburn Catchment project would not have happened.

Why it matters

The Warksburn Catchment borders two live Landscape Recovery projects, one of which the Reece Foundation has also helped make possible. If the bid succeeds, the three could form a connected 21,000-hectare landscape of nature conservation, habitat restoration and rural economic resilience.

At that scale, great things can be achieved: linked wildlife corridors, healthier rivers and peatlands, new woodland and meadows, and a more secure future for the farming communities of the area.

The Reece Foundation’s long-standing commitment to the North East is an example to us all. Thank you for seeing the potential in this catchment and for trusting a small community interest company to deliver.

What happens next

We are now ready to move as soon as the Round 3 call for bids is announced. If the bid is successful, a two-year project planning phase will follow, then long-term delivery supported by public and private funding. We’ll keep this page updated as things develop.

A thank you to everyone involved

To the landowners who came along, filled in questionnaires, and shared their hopes: thank you. To Natural England, the University of Salford, and Northumberland National Park for their vital guidance, academic research, and partnership: thank you.

To Northumbrian Water, the Environment Agency, and Forest Research for their collaborative support and crucial data insights: thank you. To the members of the public who donate to us, and to everyone who offered advice and encouragement along the way: thank you.

And to the Reece Foundation and its trustees: a huge thank you, from all of us at Natural World Fund.

Want to know more about the project or how to get involved? Get in touch at support@naturalworldfund.com or visit www.naturalworldfund.com.