Mary meets the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh has pledged to ‘value our natural heritage’ after meeting local nature conservation organisation the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) at the House of Commons The event was held on 30th March to highlight the value of funding nature and its recovery. It showcased a number of Wildlife Trust projects funded by HLF around the UK.

Mary said: “I was pleased to hear how HLF funded Wildlife Trust projects have brought benefits to local wildlife and people. This shows what can be done if a body invests in and values the natural environment. When our natural environment is lost or eroded it rarely, if ever, can be fully restored. I look forward to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund continuing to work together to protect and restore nature and to help people engage with the natural world."

Stephanie Hilborne OBE, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said: “We warmly welcome the support that HLF has given to The Wildlife Trusts over 16 years. With an uncertain economic future, we look forward to funding streams that protect and restore nature continuing.

“We are at a pivotal moment for nature which is vital to our lives and well-being. The Government has committed to producing a Natural Environment White Paper in May. We hope this will provide the right policy framework so that nature can thrive and recover. We urge parliamentarians to ensure the Government delivers an ambitious and visionary Natural Environment White Paper in May."

Carole Souter CBE, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: “Over the past 16 years the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded around £100million towards Wildlife Trust projects. This forms part of our wider commitment of £390million to more than 3,000 projects which support nature conservation across the UK. Our funding has made it possible to help people learn about, conserve and protect our incredible natural heritage."