image for illustration: Superbloom at the Tower of London, by Mark Percy, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
World Monuments Fund (WMF) is seeking proposals to join ‘Cultivating Resilience’, our signature program strengthening the ability of historic gardens and designed landscapes to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
WMF writes:
Climate change is one of the most significant threats facing cultural heritage. However, many heritage places integrate traditional methods of adaptation to environmental threats and challenges. Join WMF’s global network of heritage gardens and greenspaces to assess climate threats, exchange knowledge, and develop projects that build climate resilience. The Cultivating Resilience program helps communities understand and adapt to the impacts of climate change through a process of climate risk assessment and tailored pilot projects on site. WMF welcomes heritage greenspaces of all types to apply for this exciting program that leverages traditional knowledge and modern scientific approaches to adapt to the climate threats of the future. Applications are open through June 20, 2026.
Selection Criteria
To participate in this program, sites must meet the following criteria:
- Be in active use by and of value to local communities
- Demonstrate a clear adaptation and physical conservation need
- Lack a current climate risk assessment and/or climate adaptation plan
- Successful applicants will:
- Demonstrate that the site has practices, knowledge, and physical infrastructure that are under threat
- Explain how increasing the site’s resilience can also help to address global climate challenges
- Commit to disseminating knowledge, share best practices, and build capacity in their region
Program Benefits
- Sites selected for the Cultivating Resilience program will receive the following:
- Financial and technical support to address specific conservation issues
- Assistance with site-specific climate risk assessments and climate adaptation planning
- Membership in WMF’s international Cultivating Resilience network
- The potential for further funds to share knowledge and build the adaptive capacities of other heritage greenspaces in their region
