Place matters. Restoring nature, effective planning, decisions about land use, managing catchments – all depend on local factors. To successfully deliver our outcomes and make a real difference to people, Defra must operate effectively locally. This is crucial for everything we do – …
My name is Anika Dowling, and I am a policy advisor in Defra’s Peat team. In this blog I’ll set out what each new scheme offers and how you can apply. In the Environmental Improvement Plan, we announced our new Peatland Programme for 2026 to 2030. This month, we’ve launched …
On Boxing Day, the Government announced the first National River Walk: the Mersey Valley Way. Read this post to find out reflections from Defra policy advisor's Anna Glayzer on this project.
We have published (1 December) our revised Environmental Improvement Plan – a clear roadmap for restoring nature. The previous plan lacked the rigour and detail to turn intent into impact. This government is determined to put that right. Our revised …
Emma Magee introduces us to the East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve, where the Wild Water project is finding natural solutions for reducing flood risk.
Agriculture is crucial to food security and protects our landscapes, but it can pollute waterways and put pressure on water supplies. Read about our grants to help farmers tackle pollution and manage water better.
In this post, the Environment Blog team discuss the launch of the Water Restoration Fund and what this fund means local for communities.
In this post, Emma Magee shares what it's like to be a Catchment Coordinator in Devon.
In this blog, the Environment blog team discuss what the Government is doing to improve water quality by tackling storm overflow discharges.
Read about the actions Defra has taken since 31 January 2023, from supporting England's wildlife to cleaning up our water.