The Mayor of London's new £600,000 Rewild London Fund: what you need to know

Rewilding – restoring and protecting our natural spaces to help in a bid to tackle the climate emergency – is one of the key climate action pillars, and the announcement today of a new fund to support just this in the capital is likely to be met with open arms.

Introducing the Rewild London Fund, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, said: “The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. In London, we need to take bold action to ensure that we not only halt the decline of biodiversity in our natural environment but pave the way for growth and change.

“That’s why I’ve announced my new Rewilding Fund, which will help restore the capital’s precious wildlife sites, improve biodiversity and ensure all Londoners have a thriving web of nature on their doorstep. And as part of our Green New Deal, we’re supporting young Londoners to gain the skills required for jobs that help secure a future for London’s natural environment.”

Here’s what you need to know.

Who can apply for the Rewild London Fund?

Owners and managers of London's Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs), of which there are more than 1,600 across the capital, including local authorities and civil society organisations. The latter includes registered charities and social and not-for-profit businesses including community interest companies and social enterprises.

How much funding is available?

A total of £600,000 is available in the initial funding round, with grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 for projects to be completed by March 2023. This round is expected to support around 25 projects.

What type of projects will the Rewild London Fund support?

The fund will prioritise projects that address the ecological emergency and provide long-term solutions to site management, amongst other considerations. The type of projects available could include:

• focused staff training activities to enhance management of SINCs
• ecological surveys to inform future site management and local nature recovery plan development
• expanding and buffering SINCs through new habitat creation on adjacent land

What is the deadline for applications?

Applications will close on at 5pm on Monday 17th January 2022. Interested organisations can apply online here after first having read the grants guide.

Where can I find more information about the Rewild London Fund?

Details of the fund are outlined on the website of the London Wildlife Trust, who are working with the Mayor of London to provide expert advice supporting the fund. An information webinar on the Rewild London Fund will take place between 10am and 12pm on Thursday 6th January. Sign up here. A new “Rewilding Roundtable” event that will explore opportunities for more ambitious, innovative projects to support nature in the capital was also announced, though a date and full details have not yet been confirmed.