The Lake District and Cumbria is a haven for camping and boating, and it is great to get out into nature. But it’s important to know about Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning and how to prevent it.

According to the NHS, there are around 60 deaths from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in England and Wales every year, and about 200 people are left seriously ill, while 4,000 people are treated in hospital. Learn how to keep you and your family safe from Carbon Monoxide poisoning by following the guidance

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At the Lake District foundation, we love our lakes, and we know you do to. They are a great source of beauty, recreation and cultural heritage but unfortunately, they are under threat from pollution, invasive species, and climate change. Let’s work together to care for our Lakes.

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#LoveYourLakes why?

The Lake District is known for its stunning mountains, fresh air and clean Lakes but we need your help to keep it that way.

The Problem

The Lake District has been welcoming visitors back after Covid-19 lockdown restrictions eased which is fantastic news for all those enjoying this spectacular place. However, the sheer volume of visitors is having a huge impact on the wildlife, landscapes and cultural heritage.

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#Savereds Why?

Red squirrels: charming, charismatic, an icon of the Cumbrian landscape, immortalised through Beatrix Potter’s Squirrel Nutkin. Cumbria is the best county to see wild red squirrels in northern England. We know that 80% of red squirrel conservation effort is being carried out by volunteer groups across the north. Without this passion and commitment, we will lose reds within 10-20 years.

The Lake District Foundation Fund provides grants to projects that care for the spectacular landscapes, wildlife and cultural heritage of the Lake District and Cumbria.

When you make a donation to the Lake District Foundation you are supporting high-impact evidence-based projects that are of urgent priority.

Funding decisions are made by a grant-making panel. We are open to creative and innovative ideas that have a measurable and sustainable impact. We are particularly keen to support projects that link to our World Heritage Inscription.

Some recently funded projects from the LDF Fund include:

• HELPING TO SAVE HELVELLYN’S VULNERABLE ARCTIC ALPINE FLORA

• IMPROVEMENTS TO DASH BECK AT BASSENTHWAITE

• TREE PLANTING AT MARDALE COMMON

For a full list of recently funded projects take a look here, or to apply for a grant, click here.

Fix the Fells is a partnership programme between the Lake District National Park, National Trust, Natural England, Lake District Foundation, Friends of the Lake District and Cumbria County Council to repair erosion scars which have developed over the years, and to make sure that these scars are prevented in the future.

The Lake District fells are enjoyed by millions of walkers every year but the high level paths can be surprisingly fragile and the sheer number of visitors leave a mark on the landscape. Over time grass is compacted by heavy foot traffic and dies. Heavy rainfall quickly washes away the exposed soil down the steep slopes into streams, rivers and eventually the lakes, where the increased amount of silt causes havoc for fish and other species.

The work being done aims to prevent this loss of grass and soil by designing and creating paths that are resilient to wear and tear and reduce the impact on the surrounding landscape. On steep slopes you may see ‘pitching’ where stone has been laid, while on less steep slopes the paths may have been repaired by a ‘soil inversion’ technique with the aid of a digger.

More information on the Fix the Fells Website