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Defra announces six new nature recovery projects
"These nature recovery projects will enrich our landscapes for wildlife" - Tony Juniper

Species such as curlews, great crested newts and little terns set to benefit.

Six new nature recovery projects have been launched by Natural England and the Government. They aim to create enhanced and better-connected habitats for wildlife and improve public access to nature.

The multi-partnership collaborative projects will cover 176,000 hectares of land in England. The projects will strengthen the national Nature Recovery Network and help to deliver nature recovery on a large scale.

Supported by £7.4 million funding from Defra and Natural England, the nature recovery projects are:

  • East of Eden, Cumbria - The project will support land managers to create habitats for species such as the curlew, black grouse and the Teesdale violet. Flood management techniques will reduce flood risk and improve the absorption of carbon by rewetting peat.
  • The Lost Wetlands, Cheshire to Lancashire - The project will reclaim, restore and rewet wetland habitats that will benefit dragonflies, great crested nest and water voles.
  • Tees Estuary Recovering Nature, Northumbria - The TERN Project will work with partners to improve, create and restore coastal, estuarine and land-based habitats. The area is home to common seals, roosting waders and wildfowl including the little tern, wintering knot, ringed plover and redshank.
  • Heathlands Connections, Surrey – The project will restore, enhance and connect rare lowland heathland habitat within the western section of the Surrey Hills AONB. The work will benefit ground nesting birds including the nightjar and Dartford warbler.
  • Bradford and South Pennines, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire – The project will restore and enhance the condition of the upland peat landscapes in the South Pennines, restoring habitats for moorland birds such as the endangered twite. Green corridors will also be created to allow wildlife to move freely. Natural flood management techniques will create wetland habitats to benefit communities at risk of flooding.
  • Seaford to Eastbourne, Sussex and Kent – The project will build on research into chalk aquifers in the area. The work will create clean water supplies for nearby towns and benefit species such as the rare wart-biter cricket.
Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England, said: “These nature recovery projects will enrich our landscapes for wildlife, develop resilience to climate change, catch carbon and help to clean up air and water. They will help restore entire ecosystems, allowing many species of wild animals and plants to spread and thrive. They will also enhance the opportunities people have to make the most of the wellbeing benefits that come with connecting to the natural world.” 

The projects will help deliver commitments made in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan which aims to stop the decline in nature and help plants and wildlife to thrive.

Environment minister Trudy Harrison, said: “We want to create accessible, nature-rich places closer to where people live, and encourage communities to learn more about the wild landscapes on their doorsteps so they can play their part in helping to protect them."

 

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.