Grants for spongy landscapes
A grant launched in September could support peatland restoration projects in Wales that deliver benefits for climate, nature, carbon storage and flood resilience.
This round of the £10k-£250K Peatland Restoration Grant is open to private landowners and public/voluntary organisations alike. The application deadline is 30 November 2026.
The grant is funded by Welsh Government and allocated through the National Peatland Action Programme (NPAP) which is managed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
Mannon Lewis, NRW’s Strategic Projects lead for NPAP said:
“Healthy peatlands are national assets when bog species thrive, in particular the peat-forming sphagnum mosses.
The mosses can hold 20 times their mass in water so keep landscapes wet and spongy, providing flood and fire-spread mitigation.
Peatlands are an important nature-based solution to tackle both the climate and nature emergencies which is why we’re so glad to be able to offer this 100%-funded restoration grant.
So, if you own or manage peatland, please attend our webinars to find out more and apply!”
Despite covering only 4% of Wales, peatlands hold 30% of our land-based carbon. Unfortunately, 90% of Welsh peatland is damaged in need of restoration actions, which can be addressed through these grants. This flexible Peatland Restoration Grant can be used for the development and/or delivery of peatland restoration. Applicants can register and ask further questions in the webinars on 6 October.
Besides this competitive open grant, NPAP also provides other funding mechanisms. Enquiries to explore options for peatland restoration can be made to npap@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk. Peatland restoration delivery, through the Wales Peatland Action partnership, has seen an ambitious upscale in the 2025-2030 Plan to triple targets by 2030/31.
Information about the work funded through NPAP is publicly available in Annual Reports and through the Welsh Peatland Data Map. The short introductory videos, ‘Wales Peatland’ and ‘Peatlands: the good, the bad and the land healers’, explain the importance of peatland restoration for future generations.