As part of their new 10-year strategy, the charity aims to tackle climate change, restore nature, and improve access to green spaces and cultural heritage.
These plans were unveiled to mark the Trust’s 130th birthday and are based on feedback from a public consultation involving over 70,000 people.
Director-general Hilary McGrady said: “For 130 years, the National Trust has responded to the crises and challenges of the time.
“Today, nature is declining before our eyes and climate change is threatening homes and habitats on a colossal scale.
“Meanwhile, millions of people can’t enjoy the benefits that green space and heritage bring.
“So we will ramp up our work to restore nature, both on our own land and beyond our boundaries.
“We’ll work to end inequality of access to green space and cultural heritage.”
Wallington in Northumberland is one of the key sites in the trust’s strategy.
The estate, home to a range of habitats, has witnessed a decline in wildlife over the last century.
To address this, a new programme of nature restoration and conservation has been launched, with the aim of making Wallington a haven for nature alongside sustainable farming.
The ambitious plans include protecting 50km of waterways, creating new hedgerows and woodlands, restoring wetlands and peatlands, and improving public rights of way.
Since the programme began, more than 180,000 trees have been planted, with a further 136,000 to be planted this winter.
The trust’s goal is to plant one million trees on the estate by 2030.
The trust is also a partner in the Tyne Derwent Way, a project which aims to connect urban communities in Gateshead with local green spaces and countryside.
The nine-mile route, launched in April 2024, links attractions along the rivers Tyne and Derwent, from urban Gateshead to National Trust’s Gibside.
The project includes a programme of events and activities, as well as plans to restore and develop more habitats, attractions and facilities along the route in 2025.
The charity is also set to launch an apprenticeship scheme for 130 young people, offering opportunities in careers ranging from gardening and countryside management to project management, IT, finance, and HR.
These apprenticeships will be based at locations across the country.
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Mr McGrady said: “Our charity’s founders were passionate campaigners who recognised the threats to our natural and cultural heritage, and, against the odds, did something about it.
“That same boldness is needed today.
“The Trust is uniquely placed to do something about these challenges and it’s why we are setting ourselves these ambitious but much-needed goals.”