Country-wide effort needed to save Britain’s fastest declining mammal Forget the Easter Bunny, this Easter is all about water voles! Wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is calling for volunteers across England, Scotland and Wales to take part in their national water vole survey, which starts on Good Friday. Immortalised by Ratty in …

Spring is well underway and hedges across the countryside are rich with colours and sounds as blossoms emerge and wildlife awakens. This time of year provides a really great opportunity to start thinking about the diversity of flowering plant species across the hedgerows that we manage. Observing the hedges across a field, garden or park …

Rural populations continue to plummet, with the largest declines in eastern England Urban populations are stable, and may even be recovering thanks to community action Urgent action is now needed to try and bring hedgehogs back to the countryside Today, [Tuesday 22nd February 2022], a new report published by wildlife charities People’s Trust for Endangered …

If you own a woodland or you visit one regularly, please keep a particular eye out for stag beetles on warm sunny evenings from the end of May to the end of July. You can tell us about any sightings via our Great Stag Hunt survey. Stag beetles and woodland habitats Stag beetles are one …

We were shocked when Typhoon Rai (known locally as Odette) hit large parts of the southeastern islands of the Philippines last December. Coastal areas were ripped to shreds, and hundreds of people were killed, including several on Dinagat Island located on the south-eastern part of Philippines. PTES project leader Jay Fidelino has been waiting for …

Winter is a great time to assess the health of your hedges. Without their leaves, it’s easier to see the structures and little indicators that it might need a change. Winter is also a great time for hedge management, both hedgerow trimming and larger scale rejuvenation such as laying or coppicing. Winter hedgerow management Cutting …

Open NGO letter responding to proposed changes to the eligibility criteria for the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). 28th January 2022 Dear JNCC, Natural England, Natural Resources Wales and NatureScot, Re: 7th Quinquennial Review (QQR) of Schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) We are writing this open letter in response …

Our Rough Hill orchard Rough Hill is a traditional apple orchard on the banks of the river Avon in Worcestershire. People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) has owned it since 2003, when we decided to save it from neglect and hoped to discover the noble chafer beetle there (PTES had recently become the lead partner …

Fun, feel-good, festive gifts from leading wildlife charity now on sale Eco-friendly, wildlife-inspired Christmas gifts are now on sale from leading UK wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). This year, PTES aims to bring joy, vibrancy and colour to everyone’s Christmas through their range of gifts and stocking fillers, which is crammed full …

Windsor Safari Park Hazel dormice have always been secretive creatures. Not much was known about them until Dr Pat Morris and Dr Paul Bright began studying the species in the wild to learn more about their habits. It quickly became clear that the species wasn’t doing well. As part of wider conservation plans, a new …

Negative records are important Finding hazel dormice isn’t easy. And it’s even more difficult to prove that they’re absent from a particular patch. But dormice are protected in law. So, when new houses are built or roads expanded, the developers must ensure that any hedges, shrubby habitat or woodlands that are likely to be disturbed …

Surveys reveal hotspots, connected populations but also areas of absence, where ‘hogs need help Battersea-based wildlife charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is funding two conservation research interns working to conserve hedgehogs as part of ZSL’s London HogWatch. Camera trap surveys, conducted during 2020’s summer lockdown by PTES intern Kate Scott-Gatty, show that the …