Nature based neighbourhoods: growing strong

Across many urban neighbourhoods in the UK, nature can feel out of reach. Yet access to it brings real benefits – better health, stronger relationships, resilience and a genuine sense of pride in where people live.

Mark Hileard, Jonny Wates, Tessa Tricks, Olivia Dryden, Andrew Wright

The Partnership

A partnership with the Lund Trust

WFET and the Lund Trust share a conviction that these benefits should be part of everyone’s life. Together, we are developing the Nature Based Neighbourhoods Place‑Based Programme, a long‑term, community‑led approach to greening urban neighbourhoods and strengthening the connection between people and nature.

This is a partnership based on trust, simplicity, openness and deep respect for community autonomy, designed slowly, intentionally and with care.

What we aim to learn together

Building nature-rich neighbourhoods from the ground up

We want to understand what it really takes for communities to lead the transformation of their own neighbourhoods, shaping greener, healthier, more connected places that reflect local priorities and knowledge.

Over time, we aim to help communities to:

Create nature-rich, biodiverse places
Build stronger everyday connections to nature
Develop the skills, confidence and networks to steward long-term change
Grow local pride, joy and wellbeing

We’re also committed to learning openly and honestly about the conditions, relationships and structures that allow nature-based transformation to take root and endure.

How the partnership works together

The programme is guided by a set of shared principles:

Respect for community autonomy
Entering with our exit in mind, to support long-term stewardship
Learning with humility and a readiness to adapt
Simplicity – avoiding unnecessary complexity
Creating conditions for joy and pride
Equity and inclusion at the centre of everything

In practice, this means providing core funding to selected urban community organisations, supporting peer connection across the country, enabling communities to co-develop long-term plans and backing community-led storytelling of the work.

Our Approach