UK Nature and Environment

Conservationists are trying to raise £470,000 to help protect an ancient woodland site.

Hanley Dingle in Worcestershire is a "distinctive ecosystem", and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust is asking for support in its attempt to buy land surrounding the site.

The trust has identified 16 hectares of adjoining land as being essential to continuing the "preservation and enhancement" of the "vital sanctuary."

River users in the Wye catchment are being urged to be cautious and follow the 'Check, Clean, Dry' protocol after reports suggest Crayfish Plague may be spreading in the area.

The protocol is essential to prevent the spread of Crayfish Plague, which was confirmed in the River Irfon near Builth Wells in July. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is now concerned the disease could be extending to other waterways, with recent reports of dead crayfish found in the Ennig tributary of the Wye raising alarms. However, the samples were too decomposed to confirm the presence of the plague.

Crayfish Plague poses a serious threat to the native White-clawed Crayfish, a key species in the River Wye which is itself a designated Special Area of Conservation. These crayfish are indicators of clean, healthy rivers and play a vital role in the ecosystem, making their protection critical to maintaining the Wye's ecological balance.

The first recorded breeding pair of great white egrets have been seen in Nottinghamshire.

The birds were spotted raising a brood of up to five chicks on an island at Besthorpe Nature Reserve in the Trent Valley earlier in the summer.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust said it believes a second breeding pair are thought to have chicks which have fledged.

It has been a bumper breeding season for the Cornish chough and wildlife experts are delighted.

A record 55 pairs of choughs made an attempt at breeding this summer.

It was feared the wet spring would make life tough for the inexperienced pairs, but 108 choughlets are known to have fledged successfully.

DESPITE a perception in wider society that the agri-industry is harmful to the environment, here in Fermanagh our farmers are leading the way in showing how to work the land while also protecting our precious local ecosystem.

Over recent years Ulster Wildlife has been working with farmers here in the county as part of its Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS). To date, a total of 858 hectares of Fermanagh’s species-rich grasslands have been surveyed and mapped as part of the scheme.

Brian Keown, who farms sheep and sucklers on 75 hectares near Garrison, is one of the many local farmers eligible for the EFS scheme. He was deemed eligible after his species-rich fields were assessed by Ulster Wildlife’s local farm facilitators.

Water companies that pollute the River Thames have "no accountability", a group of "citizen scientists" who monitor the waterway have said.

The groups, which include Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and Water Testing River Thames (WTRT), have been testing at 24 sites between Oxford and Teddington, west London, between mid-March and mid-August.

Of the 210 tests carried out, the groups said 47 failed when it came to harmful levels of e-coli or intestinal enterococci.

Thames Water said it was "committed to seeing our waterways thrive" and has been upgrading 250 sites to help prevent overflows.

Volunteers have recorded finding less litter in this year’s Plasticblitz across the UK compared to last year, despite groups spending more time litter picking in 2024 than 2023, according to environmental charity Thames21.

The charity, which led the organisation of the mass clean-up, in partnership with the Environment Agency and Rotary, saw a record number of hours spent cleaning up rivers. Teams across the UK clocked over 149 hours of litter picking and citizen science – a 12% increase from the previous year. A total of 466 bin bags worth of litter were collected this year, compared to around 699 bags last year. Plasticblitz 2024 (22nd June to 7th July) also saw a higher number of organised litter picks – 54 in total, of which 21 were based in London.

The Plasticblitz, which first launched in 2021, engages community groups, Rotary Clubs and Environment Agency teams in a mass litter pick and citizen science event. Its key aim is to collect data on the most common plastic items found in and round rivers to educate consumers and advocate for change in business and policy.

A groundbreaking study conducted across 30 field sites in the southwest UK has revealed the importance of incorporating varied habitats into the landscape at large.

The research, published today in Nature and led by ecologists at the University of Bristol, addresses critical questions in conservation and land management, shedding new light on species interactions and how food chains operate across multiple habitats.

The study found significant differences in food web structures among landscapes with one, two, or three habitats, including a more evenly distributed abundance of species. Multi-habitat landscapes host a higher number of species, including habitat specialists, leading to greater overall biodiversity.

An oak tree shaped like an elephant and the oak with the widest girth in the UK have been shortlisted for the annual Tree of the Year competition.

The Woodland Trust runs the annual competition to raise awareness of the UK’s ancient and at-risk trees.

With its 2024 contest, the charity is campaigning to ensure more robust legal protection for the country’s most precious trees, and is showcasing ancient oaks as they are a beloved species and often live for more than 1,500 years.

Work to reconnect a river with its flood-plain, in order to improve wildlife habitats, has been completed.

The improvements, which took place on a 1km (0.6 mile) stretch of Goldrill Beck, in Ullswater, will create 11 hectares (27.2 acres) of wetland in the area.

The changes were made by incorporating natural features within the river and flood-plain, including lowering artificial embankments, blocking ditches and creating ponds.

Familiar garden birds with unusual plumage features, such as a Blackbird or sparrow with striking white feathers, will often catch our eye, and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is asking for help in mapping these scarce occurrences.

Each year BTO receives multiple calls and messages from members of the public who have spotted something a little out of the ordinary in their garden. These sightings often refer to a common bird, that doesn’t look quite right… a Starling with a white head? A sparrow with white wings? An all-white Magpie? A Robin without its distinctive red breast?

Many birds can show unexpected plumage abnormalities, and ornithologists are hoping to unravel some of the mysteries relating to these widespread phenomena.

Heather that was severely impacted by extreme heat and drought two years ago is showing signs of recovery following a rainy February, blooming in a patchwork of pink and purple at Dunwich Heath.

But the National Trust warned that it is “experiencing first-hand the consequences of more frequent extreme weather events” and called for the government “to address this significant issue”.

The conservation charity said specialist drone surveys conducted in summer 2023 confirmed a 60% loss in heather at Dunwich Heath on the Suffolk coast following the 2022 heatwave.

However, similar surveys conducted in June of this year indicated that 11% of the damaged heathland heather had sprung back to life following increased rainfall this February.

A beach in South Cumbria has been ranked as the 'dirtiest' in the UK in new research.

A study by Cartridge Save found the top 10 ranked by highest pollution level with Haverigg Beach placing bottom.

In 2016, the beach was deemed 'sufficient' by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which gave residents and visitors the green light to bathe in safety.

England’s controversial badger cull may have increased the risk of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) among herds in neighbouring areas, according to new research.

Researchers at the University of Oxford found that although badger culling reduced incidences of tuberculosis in the areas where it took place, in neighbouring areas the risk of the disease in cattle increased by almost a third.

Badger culling has been ongoing in England for several years as part of an effort to eradicate bTB. This disease spreads between cattle or via contaminated equipment, but it can also be spread by infected badgers.

Labour has no real plan to tackle the sewage crisis damaging Britain’s rivers, leading campaigner Feargal Sharkey has warned as he called for a “root and branch” review of water industry regulators.

The punk rocker turned environmentalist told i the country needs a “clear, decisive strategy” to clean up Britain’s waterways rather than “the confusing messaging” coming from the Government.

His comments came as he announced plans to lead a mass rally in London in October to mark the end of Labour’s first 100 days in power and put pressure on the chancellor ahead of the Budget.

The South East Rivers Restoration Project has been launched to lead a partnership approach to restoring three rivers in the south east valleys.

Developed with the South East Rivers Partnership and the River Restoration Centre, a five-year project strategy has been put into place which sets out the steps to achieve catchment restoration.

Led by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the project will deliver several interventions that will help protect, enhance, and restore the Rivers Ebbw, Rhymney and Afon Lwyd.

Perpetrators of wildlife crime are going unpunished, despite overwhelming public support for action against them, a charity has warned.

A report from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) details the raft of challenges facing efforts to fight criminals who harm wildlife such as badgers, foxes and birds of prey, from issues with gathering evidence to a lack of resources.

It warns that figures suggest just 6% to 14% of reported wildlife crimes in Scotland, the only UK nation to compile annual reports on such activity, result in a decision to prosecute.

The Water Vole lives along vegetated banks of slow-flowing streams, rivers and ponds and in this case has been found in Oswaldbick beck that runs through the park.

Water voles are Britain’s largest vole species, with a rounded face, blunt nose, small ears and dark brown or almost black fur. Their tail, which is two thirds the length of their head and body, is dark and covered in hair.

They can often be identified from the distinctive ‘plop’ sound they make when they dive into the water.

The Water Voles’ newfound progress is not a coincidence. Since 2017 the Environment Agency has been working with partners on the York Urban Becks project to restore wildlife habitat in the city thanks to Water Environment Investment Funding.

Wildlife enthusiasts have been given a rare glimpse of sea eagle chicks taking to the skies for the first time – directly under their noses.

In what is thought to be a first for Scotland, birdwatchers on the Island of Mull were treated to the sight of two white-tailed eagles taking wing after leaving their nest.

This breeding season, an adult pair of sea eagles became the first to nest and rear two chicks within view of Forestry and Land Scotland’s (FLS) nature hide at Fishnish.

The challenge of creating new woodland in the UK is daunting, but new research from The University of Manchester concludes that policymakers should “prioritise woodland creation protocols aimed at nature recovery and tailored to the context of restoration rather than simply based on opportunistic land acquisition.”

In an article published by Policy@Manchester, Dr Matthew Dennis highlights that native broadleaf woodland in the UK stands at 14.5% land-cover compared to 40% for Europe as a whole. He adds: “Government targets aim to reach 17% by 2030 – a huge increase on the ground in a short space of time.”

Dr Dennis explains that current debates in landscape ecology centre on whether large areas of intact habitat are needed for effective nature conservation or whether smaller more numerous patches can achieve the same levels of protection.

The wetlands and low grassland habitats along the River Trent and the species that depend on them are declining, but now a rewilding project led by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has been awarded the funding to create, restore and connect spaces for nature to encourage wildlife to thrive in the Trent Valley and beyond.

Animals have been shaping the landscape for thousands of years, but some species are more important than others. We call these ecosystem engineers. In the relatively recent past, large herbivores such as aurochs, elk, beavers, wild horse, wild boar, red deer and bison roamed Derbyshire’s landscape.

The Call of the Wild project is reinstating the actions of these lost wild herbivores across six sites managed by the Trust to rewild 267 Ha.

A red squirrel has been spotted in the central belt of Scotland in a rare sighting.

The squirrel was seen darting along a fence in Lanette Perry's garden in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire.

Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels (SSRS), a project run by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said it was one of the most southerly red squirrel sightings in Scotland's central belt in decades.

It said the emergence of the species in the area could be due to conservation efforts.