Butser Hill Nature Reserve, near Petersfield, will benefit from £160,000 in funding secured from a range of organisations by Hampshire County Council, working closely with the South Downs National Park Authority. Once complete, the restoration of one of the region’s most precious chalk grassland, will provide improved conditions for orchids, cowslip, harebell, and butterflies such as the Chalk Hill Blue and the nationally scarce Duke of Burgundy. (Image: Jan Knowlson, South Downs National Park)The three-year Boosting Butser’s Butterflies project will focus on restoring 48 hectares of chalk grassland and woodland edge through a mix of land management, improved grazing and biodiversity-friendly interventions. Funding includes £99,000 from National Grid’s Landscape Enhancement Initiative, £40,000 from the South Downs National Park Authority’s Community Infrastructure Levy, and £20,000 from the Big Chalk Partnership’s Nature Recovery Fund. Caroline Svendsen, manager of the Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund, said: "Through the Big Chalk Nature Recovery Fund, we’re proud to have helped bring mains water to a key area of Butser Hill – a vital step that will enable grazing to return and unlock the full potential of this remarkable chalk grassland for wildlife."