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Evidence

Two more years: extending ambitions for Nature recovery

Tony walks with King Charles along a path in the Lincolnshire NNR. It's a beautiful sunny day, the King wears a light beige coloured suit. Tony has a blue shirt - he carries a pair of binoculars in his hand.

By Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England I was delighted to be invited to serve a third term as Chair of Natural England and look forward to continuing to lead the organisation as it adopts and implements a new …

Using our evidence to plan our approach to the management of Dartmoor's SSSIs

A view across Dartmoor with a large rocky formation in the foreground

Today we have published a Review of the evidence for the management of Dartmoor’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). As an evidence-led organisation, we use this to inform our advice to farmers and stakeholders on Dartmoor. Our job is …

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

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Evidence, Peat

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 …

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 …

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 …

Outcome of Natural England’s review of bird of prey ‘wild take’ licensing for falconry and aviculture

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Evidence, Licensing, Natural England, Nature, Wildlife
A sparrowhawk in flight

Natural England has today published the outcome of its review into the licensing of ‘wild take’, a practice that involves taking young birds of prey from the wild for use in falconry and aviculture. Defra ministers have endorsed Natural England’s …

How new technologies are helping us monitor one of England’s largest grey seal colonies 

A seal and its pup on Horsey Beach. Image: Natural England

By Gabriella Fasoli and Nick Tomline (AI specialists), Emma Milner (marine mammal specialist) and Elizabeth Mitchell (engagement), all on the marine Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme Documenting Norfolk's biggest beach party On a windy day in December, something …

Three churrs for the heathland bird survey

Dartford warbler. Credit: Philip Ray

By Alison Giacomelli, Senior Specialist – Ornithology, Natural England Heathlands are home to the eerie sound of churring Nightjars, sweet melody of singing Woodlarks and the rattling song of Dartford Warblers. This year teams of volunteers and fieldworkers will be …