Natural England

Hinkley Point C – Clarification of Natural England’s Role and Position

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Natural England, Nature, Planning
Natural England logo

Recent reporting on Hinkley Point C contains a number of inaccuracies regarding Natural England’s role, legal duties, and position on fish protection measures. Natural England is firmly committed to enabling nationally significant infrastructure while ensuring compliance with environmental law. In …

Modernising submissions for Protected Sites requests

By Tracey Hill, Senior Officer - Sites , Nature and People Natural England is making it easier than ever to submit requests relating to protected sites. From 20 April 2026, we are introducing Defra Forms, a new online submission portal, …

Why wildlife licensing matters

Water vole

At Natural England we help balance economic growth with nature protection. Wildlife licensing is a vital tool to enable this. Our licences are broad ranging and allow development and other activities to proceed, while safeguarding protected species and their habitats. Every …

England Red Squirrel Recovery Strategy

Red squirrel on a branch. Credit: Gary Bruce

By Katherine Walsh – Senior Environmental Specialist for terrestrial mammals within the Chief Scientist Directorate at Natural England England's red squirrel is one of our most beloved native species, yet it has quietly disappeared from most of the country over …

Reflections on the Nature Restoration Fund Business Readiness Forum  

In this blog we look back on the first Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) Business Readiness Forum, held to help developers, planners and environmental stakeholders understand how the new fund will work in practice. We explain how the NRF and Environmental …

Healthy Land, Secure Future: A Land Use Framework for Nature, Climate and Communities

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Development, Growth, Natural England, Nature, Nature Recovery, Planning
Landscape shot showing a path through two stone fences with green fields either side in the Yorkshire countryside. The sky is bright blue and sunny and a flock of birds are in flight.

By Hannah Wood, Strategy Deputy Director, and Fin Rylatt, Land Use Framework lead,  Natural England In this blog post, we explain how the new Land Use Framework sets out a path to clearer, more integrated ways of managing England’s land. The new Framework shows how nature, food production, clean energy and housing can complement each …

Growing trees and farming together for nature recovery – new agroforestry principles launched

Veteran cherry trees, Alfrick, Worcestershire. Credit: Geoff Newman

By Alisa Swanson, Natural England Agroforestry — the practice of combining trees with farming — is gaining renewed momentum as a practical way to increase tree cover and restore nature without sacrificing productive land. This post explores how Natural England …

My Day at the Coast with the King: Launching the King Charles III England Coast Path

A group of people in Natural England and England Coast Path uniform in conversation with King Charles III in a walled garden.

By Neil Constable, Programme Manager, King Charles III England Coast Path Team This blog post is a personal reflection by Neil on the official launch of the trail at Seven Sisters in Sussex on 19 March. Neil describes his 16-year …

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

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, …

Landmark for Nature recovery receives the royal seal of approval

Secretary of State, Emma Reynolds, Tony Juniper and His Majesty, King Charles III at the Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve

By Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England Nature recovery has taken a major step forward this week with the unveiling of one of the country’s most important National Nature Reserves by a long-standing champion of the natural world – His …