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Wildlife

Natural England’s role in licensing to control badgers to prevent the spread of bovine Tuberculosis

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Farming, Licensing, Natural England, Science and evidence, Wildlife, wildlife and farming

Current government policy is to enable culling or vaccination of badgers to control bovine Tuberculosis (bTB). The Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs has today (30 August) announced a refresh of the strategy for control of bovine …

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 …

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 …

A high five for everyone driving Nature recovery – but we must not rest on our laurels

Tony Juniper stands in a grassy field with lots of colourful wildflowers growing. A blue sky with white fluffy clouds hangs overhead.

Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England Today marks five years since I became Chair of Natural England, which seems to me an appropriate point at which to take stock of the important progress made towards recovering Nature in that …

Providing guidance to protect habitats and threatened native species

A Barbastelle bat

By James Marshall, Deputy Director for Norfolk and Suffolk As the government’s advisers on the natural environment, Natural England’s role is to ensure our environment is conserved, enhanced and managed for the benefit of people and wildlife. Recent media reports …

The science of Natural England: now and then

Image shows two geological mounds of tall craggy rocks standing on the edge of a grassy cliff. The sea can be seen in the distance. The area is Axmouth To Lyme Regis Under Cliffs Site of Special Scientific Interest

By Dr Tim Hill, Chief Scientist at Natural England Science, evidence and evaluation sit at the heart of Natural England. Our teams work across a range of ecological, earth, economic and social sciences. With a strong focus on collaboration with …

Natural England wildlife licensing statistics for 2023

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 …

An awakening: the creativity of science through nature

Image shows Clare Warburton when she was younger leaning over to touch some pink flowers

By Clare Warburton, Deputy Director for Sustainable Development at Natural England International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGIS) is an annual UN event, which aims to highlight the work and achievements of women and girls in science, both now …

The pathway to seabird recovery in England

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Marine environment, Natural England, Seabirds, Wildlife
Chesil Beach and The Fleet SPA. Little tern adult at nest with two chicks.

Dr Alex Banks – Principal Specialist, Ornithology & Nick Williams – Principal Adviser, Marine Strategy England is a special place for seabirds. Our cliffs, beaches, marshes and offshore islands provide nest sites for around 20 species, including charismatic and iconic …