Durham County CouncilNose's Point was one of the habitats to benefit from the funding A £975,000 project to restore grasslands and a "rare" coastal habitat has been successfully completed.
The scheme, led by Durham County Council and the Heritage Coast Partnership, focused on restoring magnesian limestone grasslands between Nose's Point near Seaham and Blackhall Rocks.
The cash from the government's Species Survival Fund was spent restoring and protecting the area's plants, insects and birds, with community engagement being central to the scheme.
The county council said Durham grasslands were "globally unique" because of the magnesian limestone exposed at the coast, and the project was one of only 20 funded nationally to halt species decline by 2030.
Volunteers, schools and local groups took part in almost 100 events including wildlife surveys and large-scale plantings.
It was run in collaboration with the National Trust and Durham Wildlife Trust.
Councillor Kyle Genner, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and environment, said he was "delighted" the project had improved 11km of paths and planted 21,000 trees and shrubs at the Tina's Haven nature reserve in Horden.
He said: "These combined efforts have helped to restore the grasslands, improve roosting for birds and create diverse habitats and better conditions for a range of plants and wildlife.
"The project has delivered lasting environmental, social and educational benefits, ensuring the long-term protection and resilience of the county's beautiful coastal grasslands."
'Joy to witness'
Eric Wilton, general manager at the National Trust - Derwent, Wear and Coast, said: "Coastal grasslands reconnected has been an exceptional project.
"It has also connected communities to the coast and its nature, driving an immense sense of pride and stewardship for the area.
"The project linked directly with schools and the wider community partners to enable people to help us create Tina's Haven and it has been a joy to witness the impact nature has played in supporting people through recovery while they support nature recovery."
Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Related stories
