By Oliver Harmar, Chief Operating Officer, Natural England Twelve months ago, I was lucky enough to be standing overlooking the fabulous wetlands of the Flashes of Wigan and Leigh, listening to the inspirational words of Clare Shaw, a local poet: …
I’m Ceri Meehan, I'm a Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Adviser covering the Severn River Basin District. I use my skills to deliver Natural England’s objectives in the West Midlands. I work with farmers advising them on sustainable farming practices that …
By Mike Burke, Head of Programme – Sustainable Development Natural England has just published several research reports to inform and support the sustainable development of offshore windfarms, contributing to economic growth and energy security. This package of research will provide …
By Mark Beard - Penwith Moors SSSI designation project manager The designation of a new Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is a reminder that, as a society, we value the special place nature plays in enriching our lives, protecting …
By Jonathan Larwood, Principal Adviser – Geodiversity, Natural England The world’s first International Geodiversity Day will be celebrated on the 6th October. This annual event was established by UNESCO in November 2021 following a proposal from 109 international and national …
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 …
On 27 August 2022, the Government announced a new £5m fund to promote the use of peatlands for sustainable farming [1] – the Paludiculture Exploration Fund (PEF), which seeks to unlock barriers to making commercial paludiculture a reality. In this …
By: John Holmes, NE Strategy Director 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 dispersal …
By: John Holmes, NE Strategy Director This year has seen another encouraging increase in the breeding population of one of our rarest birds of prey. Natural England and partners are pleased to report that a total of 49 hen harrier …
The Secretary of State has now launched an 8-week consultation on the Biodiversity Metric to be used for the purpose of calculating biodiversity net gain as required under the 2021 Environment Act[1]. The Biodiversity Metric is a key tool that …