Funding

All members of the Isles of Scilly National Landscape Partnership have a focus on the needs of these very special islands. As a result, the National Landscape designation helps direct the spending of large amounts of public, private and voluntary sector funding. 

The Partnership receives funding from the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) each year through the Council of the Isles of Scilly, in the role as Host Authority for the National Landscape. This Defra grant is match-funded by contributions from the Council of the Isles of Scilly, the Duchy of Cornwall, Tresco Estate and the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, to give an annual budget for management of the Isles of Scilly National Landscape. 

The bulk of this funding is invested in a diverse programme of work undertaken by Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, as Delivery Partner for the Partnership. 

The Wildlife Trust’s Annual Work Programme for the National Landscape is developed and agreed each year by the Isles of Scilly National Landscape Partnership. The wide range of activities being undertaken is planned directly from the current Management Plan, and ranges widely from support for a Farmers & Growers Initiative team, supporting the Community Archaeology Group to manage ancient sites, keeping over 50 miles of paths open and accessible through regular vegetation cutting, and taking action for a range of species. 

In addition to the annual Defra grant, a range of other Government funding is channeled through the Isles of Scilly National Landscape. Since 2021, the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme has supported sustainable land-management across the isles. Recent additional funding includes the Access for All programme, which in 2023 part-funded a boardwalk to the David Hunt Hide overlooking the Great Pool on Tresco, and in 2024 part-funded a new accessible Stephen Sussex bird hide at Higher Moors as part of wider access improvements by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust.