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Protected sites and species

Celebrating 75 years of the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 

Lake District. Ashness Bridge with Skiddaw behind. Photograph: Paul Glendell

By Marian Spain, Chief Executive, Natural England We know now that access to nature is vital for our health and wellbeing, and when we feel a connection with nature, we’re more likely to care for it and help its recovery. …

Offshore wind farms — our role in advising on the right place for low impact on marine and coastal nature

By Tamara Rowson, Natural England Offshore Renewables Industry Specialist Since 11 November delegates from across the world have been in attendance at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, focusing on “delivering deep, rapid, and sustained emission reductions now to keep temperatures under …

Inspectors tackling wildlife crime

A tawny owl perched on a tree branch

By Samantha Johnson-Roberts, Natural England Wildlife Inspector Background There aren't many jobs that combine tackling crime with protecting species like dormice and otters, but here at Natural England there are 46 of us and I'm lucky enough to be one …

West Penwith Moors and Downs (Halow ha Gonyow Pennwydh West) SSSI – an update on nature recovery in West Cornwall

Rocks at Sperris overlooking the northern coastline of the West Penwith Peninsula. The rocks contain some of the scarce species of lichen, and the habitat surrounding them is the lowland heath feature which is currently in unfavourable condition due to the encroachment of Bramble and Bracken. It is a breeding site for the Dartford Warbler. Credit: Ty Berry

By Julian Donald – Natural England Senior Officer for West Penwith Moors and Downs The prosperity and wellbeing of the people of Cornwall relies on a healthy natural environment with farming, fishing and tourism driving the local economy. This blog …

Celebrating UK Fungus Day: A tale of Taiga-tooths and fungi that bite

In celebration of UK Fungus Day, Matt Wainhouse, Fungi Senior Specialist at Natural England shares some of our work on the conservation of tooth-fungi and some remarkable discoveries. Few great discoveries begin with a detour off the M4 in wet …

The Sand Dune Managers Handbook: second edition  

Image shows the handbook cover, with an image of a sand dune set at the bottom. The text reads: Sand Dune Managers Handbook

Natural England are delighted to announce the launch of the much anticipated second edition of the Dynamic Dunescapes Sand Dune Manager’s Handbook. This update has been written to support site managers and landowners to improve the condition of sand dunes …

Thriving Together: Nature and Community

Image shows Earnse Bay, a bright blue sky hangs overhead, with wispy clouds stretching into the distance. A brown sandy shore can be seen for miles. A group of people are stood in the distance, exploring the sand and dunes.

Image: Natural England At the edge of Barrow-in-Furness, on the north-west coast of England, lies the island of Walney. A wild and windy landscape, it features some nationally rare and important habitats. It is linked to the much larger Morecambe …

We've enabled thousands of homes in the Tees area - and much more!

A view of some of the saltmarsh wetlands that are part of the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Special Protection Area (SPA)

The Nutrient Mitigation Scheme (NMS) continues with our sixth nutrient credit round now open in the Tees. To date we have offered credits for over 6,000 new homes in the Tees catchment area and have mitigation ready to meet thousands …

Clarifying the Facts: Tagging of hedgehogs and licensing requirements

Image shows a hedgehog amongst some dry leaves and green ivy

There has been some misinformation on social media recently regarding the tagging of hedgehogs to enable identification of individuals. This blog post from Natural England aims to set the record straight and provide clarity on this important issue. Background Marking …

The Magic of Heathland Summers: Nightjars, Nature Recovery, and the Future of our Landscapes

Image shows a nightjar bird, crouching low upon a wooden log. There are lots of grasses and other brown plant life behind it.

Victoria Hawkins, Heathland Connections Nature Recovery Project Senior Advisor, Natural England. Heathland Connections is an inspiring Nature Recovery Project and I feel fortunate to spend the best part of my day working on it. In this post, I want to …