Hertfordshire County Council is on the lookout for projects to support with its Environmental Improvement Grant, with up to £3,000 in funding available for people or groups who are hoping to improve nature on their land and in their local communities.

The grant, which has contributed £27,214 to 16 projects to date was created to help deliver the county council's Sustainable Hertfordshire ambition to enhance nature across the county by 2050.

Any project delivering improvements for biodiversity could be eligible, for example tree planting, hedgerow creation, wildflower meadow establishment or pond creation.

Applicants can apply for the grant to cover up to 50% of the agreed cost of their project, up to a maximum of £3,000, and is available within Hertfordshire to community-based organisations including parish and town councils, and to private landowners and land managers.

Hertfordshire County Council's countryside management team will then review the projects and can also provide support with planning and design, as well as helping applicants to apply for other grant funding opportunities.

Eric Buckmaster, Executive Member for The Environment at Hertfordshire County Council said:

"The Environmental Improvement Grant is a demonstration of our commitment to work with our communities to restore and enhance nature across Hertfordshire as we work towards a greener future. The grant allows us to give funding, advice and support to the people who want to improve their local area through larger projects and have a vested interest in delivering natural improvements that also benefit their friends, families, and neighbours."

Martin Maylin, Owner of Hornbeam Wood Hedgehog Sanctuary said:

"We received just under £3,000 from the Environmental Improvement Grant in 2023 which allowed us to plant around 350 metres of hedgerow, providing habitat for hedgehogs and other local wild animals, as well as 26 larger trees. We've also confirmed a further grant of just over £2,600 to do some more planting this year, including some fruit trees which will support pollinators and birds. The support from the Countryside Management Service throughout the process has been brilliant and I would recommend the Environmental Improvement Grant to anyone looking to secure funding for their nature project." 

To find out more about the grant and apply for funding visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/eig