wildlife and farming

Creating new wood pasture: What we’ve learned from Nature Returns

Wood pasture illustration of veteran and other open grown trees, decay habitats, scrub and structurally diverse open areas grazed by large herbivores. Reproduced from the Creation of Wood Pasture Systems Toolkit (National Trust, 2023) with permission of the National Trust. Credit: National Trust/Richard Allen.

By Jessica Elias, Natural England Nature-based Solutions are increasingly recognised as an effective way to respond to climate change while restoring nature and improving people’s wellbeing. Through the Nature Returns programme, we’ve had the opportunity to see how one approach …

Grazing on Dartmoor – Setting the record straight on Natural England's role

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Grazing, Natural England, Nature, wildlife and farming
Natural England logo

This blog was updated on 16th June Recent media coverage has suggested that Natural England has recommended a cull of ponies on Dartmoor. This is categorically not true, nor is it true to suggest any scheme has been designed with …

Landscape Recovery and growth: building the foundations for critical nature infrastructure 

Ock-and-Thames-Landscape-Recovery-Project.-Credit-Freshwater-Habitats-Trust.jpg

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 …

How Natural England Are Working in Partnership to Help Farmers Save Crops, Wildlife, Habitat, and Lives

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Farming, Forestry Commission, Natural England, Nature, wildlife and farming
Chelsey holds up rainwater harvesting tank stickers provided by NFU.

By Stacey Branson, Farmer & Natural England Catchment Sensitive Farming Adviser I was in the main farmyard when we got the phone call about the fire. I walked out the farm gate to see flames racing across the neighbour’s wheat …

Nurturing Cumbria's Hidden Gem: East of Eden Nature Recovery Project

By Katharine Milnes, East of Eden Nature Recovery Project Senior Advisor A Landscape of Contrasts Venture east of the M6, away from Cumbria's famous Lake District mountains, and you'll discover Cumbria's own Eden. Here, the wide, fertile valley of the …

Growing more than food: The benefits of nature-friendly farming

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Farming, Natural England, wildlife and farming
Cows on Upwood Meadows Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire

By Martin Lines, CEO, Nature Friendly Farming Network, andPeter Craven, Head of Agriculture, Natural England This week is Nature Friendly Farming Week, and with a theme of 'More than growing food' it aims to highlight the wider benefits of nature-friendly …

Using our evidence to plan our approach to the management of Dartmoor's SSSIs

A view across Dartmoor with a large rocky formation in the foreground

Today we have published a Review of the evidence for the management of Dartmoor’s Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). As an evidence-led organisation, we use this to inform our advice to farmers and stakeholders on Dartmoor. Our job is …

'LUF-t off' for a more strategic approach to growth and Nature

Cator North Park, Kidbrooke Village, London, with integrated BNG, including wetland and wildflowers

By Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England As the country seeks long-term solutions to our most pressing problems – how to build much-needed homes and infrastructure, safeguard food production and halt and reverse the decline of Nature – we …

Details released of new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier – Natural England to work with invited farmers to develop applications

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Biodiversity, Farming, Natural England, Nature, wildlife and farming
A tractor and combine harvester in a field with a wildflower border buffer strip and established wooded hedgerows to the left

By Peter Craven, Head of Agriculture  Defra has today announced the new Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) offer, one of three Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, to help incentivise farmers to deliver improvements for nature and support sustainable food production.  …

Harnessing Innovative Technology for Nature-Based Solutions in Norfolk & Suffolk

In celebration of World Science Day (10th November), we’re taking a look at the surprising ways Natural England uses technology in its day-to-day operations. In Norfolk & Suffolk, a number of projects are using innovative technology to improve efficiency and …