By Katharine Carson, Senior Officer, Sustainable Development, Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Area Team When you think of the Humber Estuary, you might picture big stretches of mudflats full of wading birds like curlew and lapwing. Or maybe you think of the busy docks and …
By Chris Davis, Natural England’s Deputy Director for Landscape Recovery and Schemes Development At a time when the UK is facing serious environmental challenges such as climate change and loss of wildlife, restoring and protecting our natural capital is one …
By Andy Jefferies, Senior Officer for Citizen Science One challenge for the citizen science sector is how to bridge the gap between evidence and experiences which are meaningful at a local scale, and those which are meaningful at a national …
By Amy Stocking and Matilda Dixon, Higher Officers for Citizen Science Ponds may be small, but they punch well above their weight when it comes to biodiversity, supporting around two-thirds of all freshwater species in the UK. Yet they have …
By Karen Shelley-Jones - Senior Officer – Funding and Grant Scheme Management and Luke Gill - Senior Officer - Species Recovery Programme Earlier this month, we launched a new call seeking ambitious new ideas for projects aimed at recovering England’s …
By Patrick Shannon-Hughes, Environmental Quality for Nature Senior Officer (Agri Chemicals) We’re pleased to release the updated Weed Control Handbook: Guidance for Herbicide Use on Nature Conservation Sites - a long-awaited refresh of the 2002 Herbicide Handbook. This new edition …
By John Holmes, Director of Strategy On 5 September, Defra announced strengthened legislation on burning on peat. The new legislation came into force this week, with the new burning season commencing on Wednesday. We welcome the strengthened legislation which will …
Acting for nature recovery at scale Defra and Natural England invested £7.4 million to initiate twelve landscape-scale Nature Recovery Projects (NRPs) across the country, over the three years of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2022/23-2024/25. Covering over 319,480ha, these projects were …
By Matthew Heard, National Delivery Director Numbers of nesting hen harriers in England have risen slightly this year, according to data collected by Natural England and partners. Breeding figures and regional breakdown In 2025, Natural England and partners recorded a …
Updated (3 October 2025) By Sallie Bailey, Natural England’s Chief Scientist This year we have witnessed wildfires ravaging England’s uplands and heaths on a historic scale, with prolonged hot and dry weather providing the ideal conditions for blazes lasting weeks. …
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We’re the government’s adviser for the natural environment, helping to protect England’s nature and landscapes for people to enjoy.
