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Growing the evidence base to recover England’s treasured peatland landscapes

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England’s peatland landscapes are places of inspiration, adventure and beauty. From the sweeping moors of the Pennines to the ancient heaths and mires of the New Forest, these treasured landscapes are more than just amazing wild spaces to visit. They …

Mountain hares in decline: New research reveals diminishing numbers in the Peak District 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Evidence, Monitoring, Natural England, Nature, Science and evidence, Wildlife

By Dr Carlos Bedson The Peak District is home to England's only population of mountain hares, a remarkable Arctic species introduced here in the 1870s by sporting landowners. These cold-adapted mammals, with their distinctive seasonal white winter coats, have become …

Using species conservation translocations as a tool for nature recovery

By Delphine Pouget and Jeremy Sabel, Natural England’s Species Recovery & Reintroductions Team Natural England recognises that species translocations can be an important tool in nature recovery. Natural England’s ambition is to promote and enable high quality conservation translocation projects …

Shapwick Heath Peat Restoration – Bringing Bogs Back to Somerset

By Louise Treneman, Senior Reserve Manager Peatlands habitats, such as raised bog, blanket bog and fen, in good condition, are home to a wide range of species and store the largest amount of carbon of all habitats in England. However, …

A New Era for England's Nature: Celebrating the Publication of the second Local Nature Recovery Strategy

By Emily Butterwick – Northamptonshire LNRS Senior Officer This month we celebrate the publication of North Northamptonshire Council’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS). It marks a significant milestone towards our country’s efforts to tackle biodiversity loss, climate change and improving …

AI4Peat - Innovative use of AI to map and restore our precious peatlands

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Climate change, Evidence, Landscapes, Mapping, Monitoring, Nature, Peat, Science and evidence

AI4Peat Project team members: Anne Williams, Michelle Johnson, Samuel Richardson, Nick Tomline, Martha Tabor, Phil Shea. Restoring Peatlands Peatlands are among the UK's most valuable ecosystems, playing a crucial role in carbon storage, water regulation, and biodiversity. However, many peatland …

A brighter future for Cornwall’s willow tits

Willow tit. © Adrian Davey, CBWPS member

Weighing as much as two teaspoons of sugar, with a round body and a ‘sooty black cap’ on their heads, willow tits are some of the sweetest looking birds in the country. But they are in danger – the willow …

Conclusion of Hen Harrier Brood Management Trial 

A hen harrier in flight

The experimental trial of hen harrier ‘brood management’ has ended, concluding that this activity has contributed to increased numbers of nesting hen harriers on some grouse moors. However, illegal killing of hen harriers has continued, and a range of approaches …

Tracking Jack Snipe: Our quest to understand the UK’s most elusive bird

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Evidence, Monitoring, Natural England, Nature, Nature Recovery, Wildlife
Jack Snipe head and bill profile. © Kevin Clements, Natural England.

By Kevin Clements, West Midlands Area Delivery Team The project The Jack Snipe is probably our most elusive and least understood bird. But a Natural England project aims to change that. It’s a small and secretive bird which, arguably, a …

Study launched into relationship between people and nature

Buttercups in Devon. © Ruth Lamont, Natural England.

By Ruth Lamont, Principal Officer in Research Ethics, Knowledge into Practice, Chief Scientist’s Directorate, Natural England Started in 2022, the RENEW project, led by the University of Exeter and funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, is a five-year programme …