£79 million for nature recovery. But what can you do with £0?

The UK Government has announced £79 million of new funding to help communities across England restore nature and adapt to climate change.

Of that, £53 million will support the planting of up to 500,000 trees outside traditional woodlands including in streets, parks and places close to where people live and work. A further £26 million will support local authorities and mayors delivering Local Nature Recovery Strategies.

It is a sizeable investment, but there is an equally important idea behind it: nature recovery works best when it happens close to home .

And you don’t need a multi-million-pound budget to take part. A garden, balcony, patio, window box or shared community space can all become part of a much larger network of habitats for wildlife.

Here are seven practical ways to start.

1. Plant a tree. Even if you only have a small garden

The government's new Community Trees Fund will focus specifically on trees outside woodlands: the trees we encounter in streets, gardens, parks and neighbourhoods. That makes sense. Trees can provide food and shelter for wildlife, capture rainwater, offer shade and help cool urban areas. Government figures accompanying the announcement suggest mature trees can intercept more than 15,000 litres of rainwater each year, while urban trees can also help reduce temperatures during hot weather.

What can you do?

If you have space, consider planting a native or wildlife-friendly tree.

For smaller gardens, look at compact varieties such as crab apple, rowan or hawthorn rather than assuming you need room for an oak tree.

No garden? You may be able to support a local community tree-planting project instead.

2. Turn part of your lawn into a mini meadow

One of the easiest ways to create more habitat is simply to mow less.

Choose a small area of lawn and leave it longer through spring and summer. You can introduce native wildflowers or simply see what appears naturally.

Longer grass provides shelter for insects and creates feeding opportunities for birds and other wildlife.

You don't have to abandon the whole lawn. A metre-wide strip, an unmown corner or an area around a tree can make a difference.

Think less bowling green, more miniature ecosystem .

3. Create a tiny source of water

Wetlands are another important part of local nature recovery strategies because they can support biodiversity while also helping landscapes hold water.

You can recreate the same principle on a tiny scale.

A garden pond does not need to be large. Even a watertight container sunk into the ground can provide drinking and bathing opportunities for insects, birds and other wildlife.

Add stones or branches so creatures can get in and out safely, and allow native aquatic plants to establish.

Avoid introducing fish into a wildlife pond — they can eat many of the insects and larvae you are trying to encourage.

4. Build a wildlife corridor

One isolated wildlife-friendly garden is useful.

A street full of them is much better.

Animals need to move between habitats to find food, shelter and mates, so one of the most valuable things neighbours can do is make their gardens more connected.

That might mean creating a small gap at the bottom of a fence for hedgehogs, growing climbing plants along boundaries or planting hedges rather than installing solid fencing.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies are designed around a similar principle: joining individual areas together so nature recovery isn't restricted to isolated pockets.

Your garden can be part of exactly the same idea.

5. Replace ornamental planting with something wildlife can use

You don't have to turn your garden into wilderness.

Instead, look at what you already grow and gradually introduce more plants that provide pollen, nectar, berries, seeds or shelter.

Good options include plants such as:

• lavender
• foxglove
• thyme
• honeysuckle
• ivy
• hawthorn
• crab apple

A mixture of plants flowering at different times of year can help provide food for pollinators across a longer season.

And don't be too quick to remove ivy. Mature ivy can be an exceptionally valuable source of late-season nectar and winter berries.

6. Leave some things untidy

Nature is not particularly interested in garden design awards.

Dead wood, fallen leaves, hollow stems and slightly overgrown corners can provide habitat for insects, fungi and small animals.

Try leaving a small pile of logs somewhere sheltered.

Allow fallen leaves to remain beneath shrubs.

Leave some plant stems standing through winter rather than cutting everything back immediately.

Sometimes rewilding is less about doing more and more about stopping doing quite so much .

7. Think beyond your own garden

The government's funding announcement puts communities at the centre of nature restoration. You can do the same.

Talk to neighbours about creating connected wildlife-friendly gardens. Get involved with a local Friends of the Park group. Volunteer for tree planting or river restoration. Suggest pollinator planting on communal land.

England is now divided into 48 Local Nature Recovery Strategy areas, designed to identify where action can have the greatest environmental benefit.

Finding out what is happening in your own area is a good place to start.

How does LettsSafari fit in?

At LettsSafari, we believe rewilding doesn't have to mean buying hundreds of acres and releasing wolves. It can mean giving nature a little more space wherever you live. LettsSafari helps people take part in nature recovery in two ways.

First, we support our own smaller-scale rewilding projects in the UK , helping turn subscriptions into practical action for nature.

Second, we encourage people to rewild the spaces around them - gardens, balconies and neighbourhoods — with simple ideas anyone can try.

The government's £79 million investment demonstrates what can happen at national and local-authority level.

LettsSafari is about the other end of the equation:

What can each of us do ourselves?

A tree here.
A pond there.
A patch of long grass.
A few more flowers.
A gap beneath a fence.

Individually, they are small changes.

Connect enough of them together and you begin to create something much bigger.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is smaller-scale rewilding?

Smaller-scale rewilding means creating space for natural processes and wildlife in smaller areas such as gardens, balconies, community spaces and urban neighbourhoods.

It can include planting wildlife-friendly plants, reducing mowing, creating ponds, planting trees and providing shelter for insects, birds and mammals.

Do I need a garden to rewild?

No. Window boxes, balconies and patios can all provide food and shelter for wildlife.

Planting nectar-rich flowers, providing water and avoiding pesticides are simple ways to help.

What is urban rewilding?

Urban rewilding means restoring nature within towns and cities.

It can range from large projects such as wetland restoration and urban forests to small interventions such as street trees, wildflower verges, wildlife gardens and green roofs.

What are Local Nature Recovery Strategies?

Local Nature Recovery Strategies are plans covering England that identify important areas for nature and opportunities to improve or connect habitats.

There are 48 strategy areas across England, led by responsible local authorities working with communities, businesses, landowners and environmental organisations.

How can I find rewilding projects near me?

Start by checking your local council's Local Nature Recovery Strategy and searching for local wildlife trusts, community gardening groups, Friends of Parks organisations and conservation volunteering opportunities.

How does LettsSafari support rewilding?

LettsSafari enables people to support small-scale UK rewilding while also providing ideas and inspiration for bringing more nature into their own surroundings.

The idea is simple: help nature somewhere else — and make a little more room for it at home too.

What's the easiest rewilding action I can take today?

Stop mowing one small patch of grass.

It costs nothing, takes almost no effort and gives insects and plants somewhere new to live.

Then see what turns up.