Unearthing the Past to Restore Our Future: The Role of Palaeontology in Nature Recovery

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Climate change, Education, Evidence, Geology, Landscapes, Natural England, Nature Recovery, Science and evidence, Site of Special Scientific Interest, Species recovery

By Joshua Smith, NE Senior Specialist Palaeontologist Fossils represent evidence of past life stored in the sequence of rocks below our feet. Like the pages of a book, England's rock record tells the story of changing continents, climates and environments …

Nature Towns and Cities Programme: Transforming Urban Landscapes for People and Planet 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Connecting People with Nature, Development, Green Infrastructure, Growth, Mental health and wellbeing, Natural England, Nature, Nature-based solutions
Two children, one boy and one girl, wearing gardening gloves and reaching into a garden bed with interest.

By Oliver Harmar, Chief Strategy Officer Creating a Legacy of Thriving Urban Nature  With today’s start of the Nature Towns and Cities programme, I'm filled with optimism.  This isn’t just another initiative, it’s a game-changer for how we think about nature …

Unlocking Nature for All

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Connecting People with Nature, Education, Mental health and wellbeing, National Nature Reserve, Natural England, Nature, Parks, trails and nature reserves
A group photo in a field. Some people are standing, others are seated in a variety of mobility aids and all terrain vehicles. All are smiling.

By Val Woods, Centre for Outdoor Accessibility Training (COAT) Lead Officer, Natural England I consider myself fortunate to be working on a fantastic project which is based at the beautiful Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve (NNR). I manage the Centre …

Supporting Wellbeing and Nature’s Recovery – learning from the 7th Nature Connections Conference

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Connecting People with Nature, Education, Green Infrastructure, Mental health and wellbeing, Natural England, Nature, Nature Recovery, Parks, trails and nature reserves, Wildlife
Image of Electric Daisy, an outdoor events space with a covered canopy and lots of plants around the seating.

Human health and nature are deeply interconnected.  However, many people do not feel a strong connection to nature in their day-to-day lives. Strengthening our connection to nature can address shared challenges such as health and wellbeing, drive nature’s recovery and …

Enabling sustainable growth — Natural England supporting nature-positive development 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Development, Growth, Licensing, Nutrient Neutrality
A scene pf a housing estate development of detached houses

By James Seymour, Natural England Area Manager for Kent and Sussex  At Natural England, we help facilitate housing developments by enabling developers to deliver vital environmental benefits through our strategic licensing tools. These include District Level Licensing for great crested …

Protected Site Strategies – Problems Shared

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Landscape, Natural England, Nature, Nature Recovery, Protected sites and species, Site of Special Scientific Interest, Species recovery, Wildlife

By David Burton, Principal Officer, Protected Site Strategies “Whatever lies on the horizon, these reserves might just offer a simple vision of how good things could be.” Professor John Wedgwood Clarke, Wild Westcountry Odyssey 2025 So reflected academic and poet …

Ringing in nature's return: Derby celebrates swift migration with 'Bells for Birds' initiative 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Connecting People with Nature, Education, Mental health and wellbeing, Natural England, Nature, Nature Recovery, Species recovery, Wildlife
Swift in flight against a blue sky backdrop.

By Jo Birch, Senior Officer, Inclusion & Connecting People with Nature, East Midlands Area Team  The joyous sound of church bells rings out across Derby, not to mark the hour or call the congregation to worship, but to celebrate a …

Getting water wise – Shared Standards in Water Efficiency for Local Plans in East Anglia 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Development, Growth, Natural England, Site of Special Scientific Interest, Species recovery
The Shared Standards provide recommendations for Local Planning Authorities to develop Local Plan policies including requiring new homes to be more water efficient (© Water Resources East)

By Dr. Louise Bardsley, Principal Adviser Strategic Solutions, Natural England The East of England is the fastest growing region in England. It’s also the driest. Communities, businesses, farming and nature all need enough water to thrive. But without a fundamental …

Nature for Health: Greening Healthcare Sites for People and Wildlife

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Connecting People with Nature, Development, Green Infrastructure, Mental health and wellbeing, Natural England, Nature, Nature Recovery Network, Wildlife
© Kate Mainprice (Natural England)

By Lucy Prescott, Health and Nature Senior Officer Restoring nature goes beyond protecting wildlife and increasing biodiversity. It is also about rebuilding everyday connections between people and the natural world. To achieve this, we must broaden our partnerships and engage …

Farming and flooding: how agriculture is working alongside nature to slow the flow in North Yorkshire

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Climate change, Farming, Flood Management, Natural England, Nature-based solutions, Peat

By Emma Stallworthy, Project Officer for Natural England, explains her role in Ousewem Using nature-based solutions to benefit both agriculture and wildlife while reducing flood risk is the aim of an innovative project in North Yorkshire. Ousewem is a local …