British wild juniper bushes face a threat from fungus-like disease Phytophthora austrocedrae, which is reported to be spreading nationwide.

The brand has offered three £1,000 grants, aimed at site managers and landowners of existing juniper sites who wish to improve their habitat for juniper and encourage natural regeneration.

All gins feature juniper, but No.3 uses the fruit "robustly" and is complemented by just five other fruits and spices. It was created three years ago by Berry Bros & Rudd to "taste as gin should", without the use of an excessive amount of ingredients that characterise many modern gins

Tim Wilkins, species recovery coordinator at Plantlife, said: "Juniper has been steadily declining over the past few decades and without action now, it actually faces extinction across much of lowland England within 50 years. That would represent more than the loss of a single plant type – it supports more than 40 species of insect and fungus that just cannot survive without it. Plantlife has launched various juniper conservation projects across the UK but, especially with this new fungus threat, we're absolutely thrilled that No.3 is bolstering our efforts in these ways."

Deadline for grant applications is May 17 and can be made via plantlife.org.uk.