Stephanie Bird-Halton

The First Five‑Year Evaluations of Strategic Licensing for Great Crested Newts

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Development, Growth, Licensing, Natural England, Nature, Nature Recovery, Species recovery, Wildlife
Close-up of a male great crested newt (Triturus cristatus)

The first ever five-year evaluations of strategic licensing for great crested newts have just been published. This blog, written with NatureSpace Partnership, explores the successes so far and shows that the schemes are creating high‑quality habitat for great crested newts, …

Drop in numbers of nesting hen harriers in 2024 

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Hen Harriers, Natural England
A view of moorland landscape, which is breeding habitat for hen harriers

Hen harriers are very rare birds of prey found in moorland landscapes. They are rare because of illegal killing and disturbance, and Natural England monitors their numbers closely, tags individual birds to track their whereabouts, and supports efforts to tackle …

Progress in second year of the hen harrier southern reintroduction

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Hen Harriers, Wildlife
A captive female hen harrier sits on her eggs at the International Centre for Birds of Prey, 2024

The hen harrier southern reintroduction aims to establish a wild, farmland nesting population of hen harriers in the south of England. Supported by a conservation breeding programme, the project plans to introduce up to 100 juvenile hen harriers to a protected …

Natural England wildlife licensing statistics for 2023

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Licensing, Monitoring, Protected sites and species, Species re-introductions, Wildlife
A great crested newt on a mossy piece of tree debris

Many wild animals and plants are protected by legislation such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. As nature conservation adviser and regulator, one of Natural England’s roles is to licence …

The death of Free, a Natural England tagged hen harrier

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Hen Harriers, Protected sites and species, Wildlife
Image of 'Natural England' logo.

Stephanie Bird-Halton, Director, National Delivery, Natural England Hen harriers are currently extremely rare in England due to illegal persecution and nest disturbance, primarily in areas associated with grouse shooting. Natural England satellite-tracks hen harriers in order to investigate patterns of …

Protecting nature through our enforcement work – latest data published

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Licensing, Protected sites and species
Water crowfoot near Croxhall River Mease Site of Special Scientific Interest Staffordshire

By Stephanie Bird-Halton, National Delivery Director. At Natural England our mission is to build partnerships for nature’s recovery, which is reflected in our work with a wide range of people to rebuild sustainable ecosystems and protect and restore habitats, species, …

Gamekeeper sentenced for raptor persecution illustrates wider problem of wildlife poisonings

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Licensing, Protected sites and species, Wildlife
Dorset Police & Natural England with two containers of Cymag

By Stephanie Bird-Halton, National Delivery Director. Today, Paul Allen, a gamekeeper working on the Shaftesbury Estate in Dorset, was sentenced for offences of possession of dead buzzards, keeping of banned pesticides and failing to comply with conditions of shotgun and …

Beavers are now legally protected in England – the licensing regime explained

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Licensing, Natural England, Protected sites and species, Species re-introductions
Beaver wetlands slow, store and filter water helping to reduce downstream flooding, improve water quality, increase biodiversity, and resilience to drought and adaptation to climate change. Photo credit: Giles Wagstaff, Natural England

By Stephanie Bird-Halton - Director of National Delivery Protection of beavers and why it’s important On 1 October 2022 the legislation changed to protect wild-living beavers in England. Beavers are now listed in Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Habitats …