A project has bagged a share of £14.5 million in funding to reestablish a bird species last seen in Kent 200 years ago.

The Wildwood Trust, based between Canterbury and Herne Bay, aims to reintroduce a core population of 20 to 35 red-billed choughs to the White Cliffs of Dover.

Once widespread along the UK coastline, the species, previously deemed extinct in the county, is currently restricted along the west coast of Ireland, Wales and a small isolated population in Cornwall, the charity says.

In 2010, a project by Durrell Wildlife Trust and The National Trust for Jersey began restoring areas of grazing along the Jersey coastline with the hope of restoring a chough population on the island.

A reintroduction of red-billed chough, which is a member of the crow family, from 200 bred birds has now been successfully established with numerous pairs breeding in the wild.

The Wildwood Trust has been awarded just under £400,000 in grant funding, including £232,000 for the Kentish chough reintroduction project.

The project – in partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust – will build on more than four decades of work which has provided suitable habitat to support choughs in Kent.

Natural England has awarded a share of £14.5 million to 63 projects across the country to help recover 150 species as part of the Species Recovery Programme Grant Scheme.

Chairman of the public body, Tony Juniper, said: “Nature is in drastic decline all around us, with England now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth.

“Many once-common animals and plants are much reduced with some 15% of species at risk of becoming extinct here.

“It’s a dire situation, but can still be turned around. We know this because we’ve seen the population of the once-endangered bittern rise dramatically, the recovery of the fen raft spider and water voles successfully reintroduced to areas from where they had previously been lost.

“The partnership projects we are highlighting today demonstrate the power of collaborative action to reverse species decline and we look forward to seeing positive practical progress as a result of the investments being made.”

The money has been awarded following a competitive application round and will be used by environmental charities, wildlife organisations, local authorities and charities in projects across the country.