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A new rewilding project has been announced which aims to re-introduce red squirrels and other wildlife to the Yorkshire Dales.

The Wild Ingleborough project, which is a partnership between Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, WWF, Natural England, The University of Leeds, the United Bank of Carbon and The Woodland Trust, will help turn a 3,000 acre area of land, much of which has previously been used for livestock to graze, into a natural environment teeming with lots of animals and plants.

In some areas, plant life will be restored naturally, and in others, the project will connect different areas of woodland through the planting of more trees.

Over the next year, the project will create around 100 acres of new woodland, with half created by planting 30,000 trees and the other half through natural regeneration. This is when woodland grows without the help of humans and this is caused by trees spreading their seeds.

It's hoped the project will not only boost biodiversity in the area, but also help in the fight against climate change.

As well as the red squirrel, the Wild Ingleborough project also aims to create a better environment for other animal species including the black grouse, cuckoo and curlew bird - of which there are currently only two pairs within the Ingleborough project area - to thrive in.

The project will also focus on increasing the numbers of plants like juniper, the bird's-eye primrose, globeflower and nine species of fern.

As well as increasing the numbers of plants and animal species, the Wild Ingleborough project will help to protect the area against flooding and improve the water and soil of the landscape.

Local landowners, farmers and other members of the community will be involved in the project, sharing their knowledge around nature conservation and what they believe can be done to help better protect the natural environment.

"Climate change and nature loss are two sides of the same coin; it's vital that any efforts to safeguard our future and stabilise our climate have nature at their heart," said Tanya Steele who is the CEO of the WWF.

"The UK, as hosts of COP26, can lead efforts to boost nature's recovery, including transforming the way we use our land - with Wild Ingleborough a blueprint for restoration.

"Through this project, we want to show that a wilder world is a more stable one, with nature more resilient and able to adapt to change. Together with our partners and the local community, we hope to create a rich, diverse landscape for people and wildlife to thrive."