Volunteers have been trained to monitor water voles

The cash has been invested by the Heritage Lottery Fund in more than 54 schemes throughout the region.

These have included work with water voles and red kites.

Funding has been used to buy, create and restore vital habitats and also invested in training volunteers to monitor and improve habitats.

Keith Bartlett, from the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: "Few people realise that every lottery ticket has the potential to save the UK's landscapes, countryside and creatures but bats are as important a part of our heritage as a Botticelli.

Improve habitats

"Imagine if future generations don't have the chance to see a red kite take to the skies or spot a water vole diving for cover because we didn't do enough to save them now."

Using Heritage Lottery Fund cash, Newcastle City Council bought land at Prestwick Carr, Dinnington, so it could be developed for a number of rare and threatened animals.

It is now home to birds like skylark, lapwing and partridge, as well as water voles.

Another project is the water vole recovery plan in Houghton-le-Spring which has trained volunteers to monitor and improve its habitats.

The Pastures for People project in Durham encourages local people to learn about the grasslands, preserving wildflowers and butterflies.