Residents, volunteer groups, and landowners in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, can now apply for new funding to help protect the local countryside. Two grant schemes, the High Weald Nature and Community Fund and the High Weald Lund Fellowships, opened for applications on 24 March 2026. This funding is designed to support nature and community projects that care for the historic local landscape.
The High Weald Nature and Community Fund is offering between £500 and £20,000 for projects like planting trees, restoring ponds, or creating community gardens. A total of £300,000 is available this year through the Lund Trust, which has supported more than 200 conservation projects in the area since 2017. Individuals can also apply for the High Weald Lund Fellowships, which provide up to £7,500 to help people learn new skills that benefit the local environment.
More than 70 per cent of the Tunbridge Wells borough is located within the High Weald, a landscape known for its ancient woods and small fields. Local people have until 12 June 2026 to make an initial enquiry about the funding, with final applications due by 13 July 2026. These grants offer a direct way for the community to help preserve a landscape that has remained largely unchanged since medieval times.
Last year, the fund supported nearly 30 projects including wildlife monitoring and outdoor activities for children. Local efforts are also supported by the Kent High Weald Partnership, a group that has worked on conservation in the borough since 1991. Furthermore, separate government funding for farmers and landowners has been extended until March 2029 to provide long-term support for the region’s nature.
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