National Trust – Climate change adaptation guidance

The National Trust owns over 400 historic places across England, Northern Ireland and Wales, with over 250,000 hectares of land. While later chapters of this guidance consider individual assets and activity, this opening section provides holistic guidance for our places, thinking about the inter-dependencies of the things in the care of the organisation and the way whole places will be threatened by climate hazards such as wildfires (see below).

You may also find it useful to look at our revised ‘Introduction to Climate Change Adaptation’, which provides an overview of holistic, place-based approached to adaptive pathway planning:

The National Trust is currently undertaking research on the impacts of climate change on visitor operations. We’ve published guidance on adapting to higher temperatures, and in November 2024 have released a new chapter on managing wetter weather:

The National Trust owns land with complex ecological systems that are continually impacted by surrounding pressures of development, land use and wider environmental issues such as water quality and soil condition. The National Trust is working hard to conserve the natural environment and was inspired to create this chapter by existing guidance on climate change adaptation for the natural and farmed environment, created by Natural England.

We’ve published three chapters on Gardens and Parks, taking in the measures that may be considered to safeguard and adapt cultivated plants, lawns and grass paths, and trees in designed landscapes to the impacts of climate change.

The National Trust holds over 250,000 hectares of land, much of which constitutes a farmed environment. Many of our farms are under agri-environment schemes and guidance produced by Natural England on the farmed environment is available via their web publications.

The National Trust owns around 800 miles of coastline around England, Northern Ireland and Wales. This land is vulnerable to shifting shores; erosion and accretion, impacting our historic and natural environment. The National trust is currently researching and developing guidance on this chapter following on from the launch of our Shifting Shores policy document which explains our approach to managing coast generally and adapting to climate change as part of this approach.

Water is potentially the most vulnerable asset and resource when it comes to climate hazards. From rivers to water features, the National Trust owns a range of sites that include water as a functional, natural or designed aspect. The sections below give detail on impacts, case studies, approaches and thresholds for change when considering climate change adaptation.

The National Trust has records of over 90,000 archaeological sites and features in its Historic Buildings, Sites and Monuments Record. Most of these sites are not protected by statutory designations and are vulnerable to land management practices, animal burrowing, vandalism and access erosion. These sites are also vulnerable to the changing climate and the compounding impacts of flooding, prolonged periods of rain, drought, landslides and coastal erosion. These factors affect features such as earthworks, buried remains and waterlogged deposits. The sections of this chapter below explore this in more detail.

The National Trust is currently researching impacts of climate hazards on a range of internal fabric and collection types, working in collaboration with partner heritage organisations in the UK (below). The first of our chapters in this section covers paper and books, and we’ve recently added a further one on photographs, with more in development.

The National Trust owns around 28,500 buildings across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Most of these are of pre-1919 construction and are therefore principally of traditional materials such as brick and stone masonry, cob and timber framed. All buildings are vulnerable to climate change but can be kept resilient through effective management of water:

The following chapter offers a wide-ranging look at adaptation of historic building fabric:

Roofless ruins and standing masonry are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts:

The National Trust owns and is responsible for over 30,000 kilometres of paths and tracks. These vary in construction type and are at varied levels of use, accessibility and vulnerability to climate hazards. We’ve published two chapters so far, on paths (a principal access route to National Trust places), and bridges, culverts and tunnels.

The National Trust is researching and developing guidance in this area of our assets and how to manage them in the face of climate hazards. Impacts of flooding and shrink-swell on sub-stations, sewage treatment systems and our mechanical and electrical infrastructure are already being experienced at many sites. Please check back for updates as we draw together case studies and research for publication in 2025.

In the knowledge of increasing exposure to climate hazards, but with the uncertainty of climate projections and future conditions, the National Trust is working with professionals in the operational risk, insurance and financial sectors to develop research and guidance around potential measures and thresholds that can be practically useful for owners and caretakers of historic places. Please check back as we develop this guidance.

As well as sustainable supply chains and commercial services, the National Trust is working to make sure that these business areas are also resilient to climate impacts. We’re conducting research to inform the publication of guidance in the near future – watch this space!