12 Days Wild is our festive nature challenge, encouraging you to do one wild thing a day from the 25th December to the 5th January each year. In those quiet days between Christmas and New Year, winter wildlife is just waiting to be explored! Your wild acts could be little things to help nature – like recycling your Christmas tree or feeding the...
What is regenerative farming?
Ever wondered what regenerative farming is and how it compares to other farming approaches? Vicki Hird, The Wildlife Trusts’ new strategic lead on agriculture, looks at this farming buzzword and what it means. Regenerative farming as a phrase has been used since the 1980s, but it is only in the last 10 years that...
King’s Speech must herald progress for nature or key UK Government pledge will fail
The Wildlife Trusts publish list of the UK’s Government’s broken promises to nature Next week’s King’s Speech must signal a better future for the UK’s struggling natural environment – otherwise, the UK Government’s key manifesto pledge “to make ours the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we found...
Nest boxes making a real difference for barn owls
Barn owls across the wider Tees Valley are making a comeback with the help of landowners, owl workers and local community support. Over five years of conservation effort to create critically needed breeding habitat for barn owls by the placement of specially designed nest boxes is clearly paying dividends. The project which is led...
Nature’s recovery is not a choice but a necessity for our politicians
The latest worrying statistics as shared in the recent State of Nature 2023 report cannot – and should not – be ignored by our politicians. The Wildlife Trusts head of public affairs, Elliot Chapman-Jones explains how this UK Government – and the next – will need to step up. Every three years the UK’s...
Nutrient neutrality works: pollution rules don’t block housebuilding
The Government wants to ditch laws that require housebuilders not to harm rivers. But we know these rules work – they enable houses to be built and rivers to be protected. Here’s how, writes Ali Morse. Rivers in crisis The Government’s proposed amendments to the Levelling Up Bill will provide a means of weakening...
Rivers in crisis: the polluter is supposed to pay – but now the taxpayer will pick up the bill instead
(Picture by Terry Whittaker/2020VISION) As the Government announces its plans to weaken the rules that prevent pollution of some of our most important wildlife sites, Ali Morse explores the detrimental impact this will have on us and our natural world. In a ‘Brexit Bonus’ for housing developers, Rishi Sunak’s Government yesterday announced its plans...
The elephant in the room
Late summer is the best time to discover one of the UK’s chunkiest caterpillars, the Elephant Hawk-moth. Photo – Elephant Hawk moth caterpillar © Alan Price Pretty in pink Hawk-moths are arguably our most impressive moths. They’re big and often boldly patterned. You can find them drawn to lights, or sometimes stumble across them...
Cause for great concern as sea surface temperatures reach all time high
Last week, the Copernicus climate modelling service has reported an all time high in the global average daily sea surface temperatures. Kathryn Brown, Director of Climate Change and Evidence, explains why this is reason for great concern. We are deeply worried by the trends being reported by climate scientists today and over the past...
Surprising sea life
Our Wilder Coast Project is gearing up for National Marine Week, which takes place from Saturday, 22nd July to Sunday, 6th August. See the posters below to join in one of our events or campaigns and find out more about the work we do to protect our shores and seas. Discover ten surprising species...
How important is your view?
We’re asking people to take a picture of their view from a window, share it with us and then answer a few simple questions. Connecting with nature looks different for everyone, it isn’t just hiking into the wilderness. It’s also seeing a robin outside your window whilst you’re having breakfast, or admiring a wildflower...
Keeping nature in mind
30 Days Wild is the perfect opportunity to discover the health benefits of spending time in nature. Rob Gordon shares some of his top tips for relaxing in nature this June. Spending time in nature is something that brings a lot of people happiness. Whether it’s the peaceful sound of birds, rustling leaves, and...