Biodiversity projects across England will benefit from grants worth nearly £2 million over the next twelve months, Nature Conservation Minister Ben Bradshaw announced today.

The money, from Defra's Environmental Action Fund, will support 30 projects across the country which contribute to the Government's aim of enhancing and maintaining habitat and species biodiversity as set out in the England Biodiversity Strategy.

Ben Bradshaw said: "I am pleased to support these excellent projects.

"They play an important role in highlighting and integrating biodiversity into all walks of life. Through their work we aim to promote interest at all levels allowing everyone to play their part in helping to protect our native wildlife.

"The 30 groups funded represent a variety of programmes that will deliver practical results and help us to develop new approaches towards promoting biodiversity into the future.

"This funding, coupled with the £2.5 million we announced recently to help coordination of England's regional and local biodiversity partnerships, demonstrates the Government's commitment to reverse the past trends of biodiversity decline".