National Trust will mark its 130th anniversary with 'moonshot' plans on nature and climate

In past decades the focus has been on protecting beautiful landscapes such as the Lake District, trying to save the crumbling coast or breathing life into historic country houses.

- Steven Morris

Now the National Trust is marking its 130th anniversary by unveiling "moonshot" plans to address what it regards as the current national need: the climate and nature crises.

The conservation charity has launched proposals to create 250,000 hectares (617,500 acres) of nature-rich landscape - equivalent to one-and-a-half times the size of Greater London - both on its own land and off it in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This would be 10 times the amount of landscape, such as peatlands, meadows, woodlands and salt marsh, it has restored over the last decade.

The charity's director general, Hilary McGrady, said a "monumental effort" was needed. "For 130 years, the National Trust has responded to the crises and challenges of the time. Today, nature is declining before our eyes and climate change is threatening homes and habitats on a colossal scale. We will ramp up our work to restore nature, both on our own land and beyond our boundaries," she said.