The funding will transform large chunks of the region - including Doncaster

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has announced over £1.8 million in new funding for a natural heritage initiative supporting and restoring habitats in some of the most disadvantaged areas across Central Scotland and Yorkshire, including Doncaster.

Coalface to Wildspace is a conservation and community engagement project led by the Froglife Trust, aiming to restore and create habitats for native amphibians and reptiles while connecting these places through wildlife

These projects will be working in post-industrial areas to prioritise wildlife, particularly amphibians and reptiles.

Each scheme will improve access to green areas for local communities and create opportunities for getting out and involved in natural heritage, while strengthening ecological connections across the landscape.

Funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been secured to deliver 31 projects across central Scotland and Yorkshire.

This follows a successful 3-year project in Walsall in the West Midlands – a place with its history rooted in the mining of coal and limestone and later the production of stirrups, buckles, saddles and leather goods.

Froglife identify priority areas within neighbourhoods that have limited access to green spaces and the natural environment.

In Yorkshire the project has received a grant of over £880,000 and will deliver habitat improvements at 17 sites across North, South and West Yorkshire.

It includes a programme of ecological restoration, wildlife corridor creation, community involvement and creative activities covering over 15000 square metres.

Six new Neighbourhood Wildlife Corridors will help reconnect fragmented habitats, while communities will work alongside Froglife to create 48 small ponds, expanding opportunities for local involvement in conservation and creating 93 freshwater habitats.

Kathy Wormald, Froglife Chief Executive, said “This is a wonderful opportunity for Froglife to make a real difference for nature and people. These two projects will greatly enhance the natural environment in Scotland and Yorkshire, whilst also providing communities living in these regions with fantastic opportunities to engage with and enjoy their natural environments.”

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Fund, said:

"Protecting and preserving our natural heritage is core to what we do at The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Our investment will support 31 new Coalface to Wildspace projects to be delivered by Froglife Trust across Scotland’s Central Belt, North, South and West Yorkshire. Focusing on some of the most disadvantaged communities and neighbourhoods with limited access to green spaces and nature, these projects will transform former colliery sites and pit dwellings into thriving green spaces and habitats for wildlife.