Transforming towns and cities for people and nature
Explore how we are supporting places across the UK, recognising them as official Nature Towns and Nature Cities through our accreditation scheme, and with capacity building grants awarded in July 2025.
Discover our Nature Towns and Cities
Demonstrates commitment to improve nature and green space across whole towns or cities
Helps places to spot and develop new funding opportunities for future work
Highlights good leadership and the building of effective partnerships
Encourages organisations to engage with diverse communities
Nature Towns and Cities accreditation recognises towns and cities that are putting nature and green infrastructure at the heart of their plans, and marks their commitment to transforming their town or city to benefit people, place and nature.
Birmingham has successfully become the UK’s first official Nature City, with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole collectively becoming the first Nature Towns. The designation recognises the local authorities’ commitment with their partners in those places to transform life for urban communities by providing more and better nature and green space.
Applications are made through the website and approved by an external panel. Learn more about accreditation.
Panellist chair: John Mothersole. John has held senior local government posts in UK cities including London, most recently as Chief Executive of Sheffield City Council. He is the current Chair of the Community Fund England Committee.
Panellists: Philip Askew, Ian Baggot, Nicole Collomb, Alan Carter, Joel Carré, Mark Cridge, Jude, Hassall, Lily Feasby, Tanvi Desai, Aydin Zorlutuna, Martin Whitchurch, Sarah Webster, Rosie Rowe, Alexe Rose, Lou Matter.
Building capacity in towns and cities
An investment of £15.5m across the UK to improve and create accessible green spaces, streets and neighbourhoods
Working to benefit millions of people living in urban neighbourhoods in the UK over the next decade
Enabling much needed capacity growth within local government and partners
Supporting the vision to improve thousands of green spaces for communities and wildlife
To help build much-needed capacity in towns and cities, grants (made available by The National Lottery Heritage Fund), have now been awarded. This £15.5m investment will support places across the UK to improve and create accessible green spaces, streets and neighbourhoods.
40 towns and cities (in 19 urban partnerships) will receive grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, from Portsmouth to Bradford in England, to Fife in Scotland, Torfaen in Wales, and Belfast in Northern Ireland. These places have been selected following a rigorous application and assessment process which started in autumn 2024, with work now able to get underway to deliver those plans for people and nature.