Name: Big Chalk
Price range: $

Lead organisation

Wildlife Trust Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire

Partner organisations

Cambridge Past Present & Future

Cambridge City Council

Natural England

Cambridgeshire County Council

Magog Trust

Project description

Led by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, the Cambridge Nature Network is an ambitious, long-term vision to restore nature at scale in and around the city. With landscape recovery at its heart, this project is creating something truly transformational: extensive new areas of accessible downland where none currently exist—natural greenspaces that bring the beauty and biodiversity of chalk landscapes to the doorstep of Cambridge.

By restoring and better managing existing chalk sites, creating new chalk grasslands through innovative habitat banks, and supporting a thriving cluster of nature-friendly farmers, we’re weaving together a future where wildlife flourishes, people thrive, and farming works in harmony with the land.

This is landscape recovery in action—rich in biodiversity, rooted in sustainable farming, and open for everyone to experience. Initial habitat creation is already underway, and this is only the beginning.

Access our projects page - CNN- Projects - Cambridge Nature Network.

Project location

The project focuses on the Gog Magog Hills and the surrounding landscapes to the south and east of Cambridge—an iconic chalk landscape with huge potential for nature recovery and public connection.

Contribution to Big Chalk

This project brings the Big Chalk vision to life—reviving chalk habitats for wildlife and climate resilience, championing sustainable farming across the landscape, and opening up inspiring downland spaces for people to explore, connect, and belong.

A close-up image of a Marsh Orchid. A tall, vibrant purple wildflower with multiple blossoms growing in a lush green meadow. The background features tall grasses and other green foliage under a clear blue sky.

A close-up image of a butterfly with light blue and brown wings, featuring black and orange spots, perched on a purple thistle flower. The butterfly's antennae are visible, and there are several small black insects on the flower. The background is blurred with greenish hues, highlighting the butterfly and the flower as the main subjects.

A serene forest path lined with tall trees on both sides, their branches forming a canopy overhead. Two people are walking down the path, one wearing a dark coat and the other in a light coat. The ground is covered with fallen leaves, and sunlight filters through the foliage, creating dappled shadows on the path.

A close-up image of a Water Vole, a small, brown, furry rodent standing on a moss-covered surface. The background is blurred with green and yellow hues, suggesting an outdoor natural setting. The rodent has small ears, dark eyes, and short whiskers

Do you have a project that could strengthen the future of southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes?

The Big Chalk programme brings together a dynamic suite of partner-led projects, each unique in its focus, area, and partnerships but sharing a commitment to our collective vision.

If your project contributes to the Big Chalk mission, we invite you to register it as a Big Chalk Project. Registered projects gain access to networking, shared learning, and best practice—alongside the Big Chalk brand, boosting your profile and connecting you to a powerful, growing network of partners.

Together, these projects form a united effort to secure the future of southern England’s chalk and limestone landscapes, making a lasting impact for nature and communities.