Earls Court: Where Nature Is Set to Take Centre Stage in London’s Next Great Neighbourhood

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Connecting People with Nature, Development, Growth, Natural England

By James Scott, Non-Exec Board Member at Natural England and Group Director of Strategy and Planning at Urban&Civic plc If you’ve ever wondered what happens when one of London’s largest brownfield sites is reimagined with a focus on nature, the …

Species Recovery Programme - Call for Ideas Opportunity

By Karen Shelley-Jones - Senior Officer – Funding and Grant Scheme Management and Luke Gill - Senior Officer - Species Recovery Programme Earlier this month, we launched a new call seeking ambitious new ideas for projects aimed at recovering England’s …

Natural England response to Badger Trust and Wild Justice judicial review decision’

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Image of 'Natural England' logo.

On 16th October, the High Court decided against an application by Natural England to increase the amount of costs that claimants, The Badger Trust and Wild Justice, should pay back to Natural England from £10,000 to £30,000 and £20,000 respectively, in the …

Celebrating Green Infrastructure Progress: Major Mapping Database Update Launched

Screenshot showing the urban habitat mapping.

By Martin Moss, Senior Officer - Green Infrastructure Mapping Team As recognition grows of the importance of nature to our health and wellbeing, understanding green infrastructure provision is vital to ensuring everyone can benefit from nature wherever they live. Natural …

More than the sum of our parts: professionals and citizen scientists working together to transform evidence collection

We’re in the middle of a step change for national-scale environmental evidence in England. In recent years, the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) programme has allowed us to create and upgrade maps and data products like the England Peat …

A Landmark Year for England’s Fungi

From international pledges to pioneering reintroduction projects, it’s been an exciting year for England’s fungi. Natural England Mycologist, Matt Wainhouse, reflects on remarkable year for fungal conservation. Fungi on the global agenda Fungi have often missed out in the global …

Experience and expertise advising Natural England’s Board:  Natural England’s Landscape Advisory Panel after three and a half years. 

Landscape Advisory Panel members, with Natural England staff, during their July 2025 meeting, in Winchester

By Co-Chairs Dame Caroline Spelman and Sarah Mukherjee MBE. Together, we have the pleasure of Co-Chairing Natural England’s Landscape Advisory Panel (NELAP), Sarah as our external Co-Chair, drawing upon her long experience, including as a Member of Julian Glover’s Landscapes …

Nature Returns: 4 years on

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Natural England, Nature, Nature Returns, Nature-based solutions

Nature Returns is a flagship programme led by Natural England, which is delivering practical solutions for nature and climate and building robust scientific evidence to support policy and investment decisions. Nature-based solutions address problems in ways that benefit both people and …

New Weed Control Handbook Published: A Smarter, Greener Approach to Vegetation Management

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Landscape, Natural England, Nature, Nature Recovery, Weed Control
Himalayan balsam on a field edge. Natural England

By Patrick Shannon-Hughes, Environmental Quality for Nature Senior Officer (Agri Chemicals) We’re pleased to release the updated Weed Control Handbook: Guidance for Herbicide Use on Nature Conservation Sites - a long-awaited refresh of the 2002 Herbicide Handbook. This new edition …

Natural England’s response to Defra’s consultation on heather and grass burning

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Evidence, Natural England, Nature, Peat, Wildlife
Moor House - Upper Teesdale National Nature Reserve. Copyright: Dave Glaves

By John Holmes, Director of Strategy On 5 September, Defra announced strengthened legislation on burning on peat.  The new legislation came into force this week, with the new burning season commencing on Wednesday.  We welcome the strengthened legislation which will …