{"id":2188092,"date":"2025-08-27T18:00:42","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T17:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2188092"},"modified":"2025-08-23T09:01:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T08:01:02","slug":"conservationist-hail-recovery-of-150-struggling-species-thanks-to-projects-by-natural-england","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/conservationist-hail-recovery-of-150-struggling-species-thanks-to-projects-by-natural-england\/","title":{"rendered":"Conservationist Hail Recovery of 150 Struggling Species Thanks to Projects by Natural England"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two years ago, the UK government gave roughly $15 million to its own conservation organ called Natural England for the purpose of preventing species decline.<\/p>\n

Now, its report card has arrived, and its A+ work has seen the recovery of 150 struggling or declining species.<\/p>\n

Natural England used the money to fund 63 projects involving 78 different partners across the country.<\/p>\n

For the nature lover, the list of wild beneficiaries of the work will gladden the heart. Standout achievements include a breakthrough for the iconic lady\u2019s slipper orchid, with the first known case of natural propagation in the wild after over 30 years of dedicated work to collect seeds.<\/p>\n

686 acres of vital nesting islands were created or enhanced for seabirds such as common tern, little tern and Sandwich tern. 56,000 plugs of food plants were laid for butterflies, such as marsh violet for the small pearl-bordered fritillary, and devil\u2019s bit scabious for marsh fritillary, at the new sites.<\/p>\n

A grant-funded breeding and supervised release program saw the first wild hatching of a red-billed chough in Kent for the first time in over 200 years. 633 new breeding areas (nest boxes and similar structures) were created through the program for otter, dormouse, bats, willow tits, and other birds.<\/p>\n

\"Wetland
Wetland habitat creation to benefit water vole \u2013 credit, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A huge focus as well fell on habitat creation or restoration, including over 642 acres of flower-rich grassland meadows, 1,000 acres of floodplain grasslands, 874 acres of broadleaf woodland, and 240 acres of marsh.<\/p>\n

215 ponds and streams were dug or restored which became the new haunts of water voles and the rare Eurasian bittern.<\/p>\n

Volunteers were a huge part of these various grant-funded projects. 100,000 hours of volunteer work were donated by members of the public during the 2 years of operations, a component which Natural England said would form a vital backbone if these achievements are to be sustained and built upon.<\/p>\n

\"Volunteers
Volunteers planting marsh violet \u2013 credit, Neil Harris, National Trust images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThis and a feeling of real engagement with an amazing natural environment has been a huge psychological boost for me,\u201d said Steve, a volunteer with the \u2018White Cliffs and White Chalk\u2019 National Trust project.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been, and continues to be, a great way to gain a better understanding of local ecology and to improve my understanding of the protected areas and species at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Natural England will shortly be making an announcement about future plans.<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> by Andy Corbley was first published by Good News Network on 21 August 2025. Lead Image: A pearl-bordered fritillary \u2013 credit, Devon Wildlife Trust.
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