The UK Government has announced six new nature recovery projects as part of a partnership with Natural England.

The collaborative projects will cover 176,000 hectares of land across England and includes a £7.4 million investment from Defra and Natural England.

The projects aim to manage flooding and wildfire risks, improve carbon stores and build diverse habitats for wildlife such as the endangered wart biter cricket and the elusive twite.

One such project centres on reclaiming lost wetlands in Cheshire and Lancashire. Work will seek to reclaim areas lost to industrialisation and urbanisation as well as creating infrastructure to make the reclaimed areas attractive for visitors from local communities and beyond.

The Tees Estuary Recovering Nature Project, Northumbria will cover 11,000 hectares. It aims to enlarge the existing habitats for native species as well as creating new footpath links to bring the community closer to nature.

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Other projects included in the scheme will seek to protect rare species of wildlife as well as expanding the amount of wild space available for access to the public.

Commenting on the investment, Environment Minister Trudy Harrison said: "We want to create accessible, nature-rich places closer to where people live, and encourage communities to learn more about the wild landscapes on their doorsteps so they can play their part in helping to protect them.

"These partnerships will restore the natural world, from cities to the sea, and will deliver on our targets set out in the Environmental Improvement Plan to create a lasting legacy for people and nature."

Reflecting on their involvement, Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England, said:

"These nature recovery projects will enrich our landscapes for wildlife, develop resilience to climate change, catch carbon and help to clean up air and water. They will help restore entire ecosystems, allowing many species of wild animals and plants to spread and thrive. They will also enhance the opportunities people have to make the most of the wellbeing benefits that come with connecting to the natural world.

"To fight the challenges posed by Nature loss and climate change it will be essential to build broad and trusted partnerships. I am pleased that the projects announced today signal a commitment to bold and collaborative action at landscape scale to create a Nature Recovery Network which is essential to firmly put nature on the road to recovery."