Nature in Sacred Places (NiSP) is a National Lottery Heritage Fund funded project looking at outdoor spaces at places of worship to improve their accessibility and biodiversity, upskill volunteers and build professional capacity.

Nature in Sacred Places is a collaborative project building on the successful Bats in Churches project, with £6 million funding over six-years.  It combines the expertise of partners Natural England, Church of England, Bat Conservation Trust, Churches Conservation Trust and Caring for God’s Acre to help people, nature and built heritage thrive together in churches, churchyards and other diverse sacred places.

The project is currently in an 18-month development phase and is piloting activities in Birmingham and the Black Country, Hereford, Rotherham, Doncaster and Wakefield with a focus on:

• Broadening Engagement – including a bat ‘NightWatch’ survey, nature and heritage events, a school and education programme and a challenge badge to make sacred places more inclusive and accessible for a wide range of people.
• Supporting Practical Action – including resources and training to upskill volunteers that support sacred places.
• Building Professional Capacity – including workshops, training for heritage and ecological professionals to understand the important connection between nature, heritage and people.