Following the county’s first and only dormouse reintroduction in 2001, this release boosts genetic diversity for this isolated population This week, 10 rare hazel dormice have been reintroduced into a Bedfordshire woodland to bolster the county’s only existing population. The release will create a bigger and more genetically diverse population of hazel dormice in the …

Back to Beds for sleepy dormice This week, in early June, 10 rare hazel dormice have been reintroduced into a Bedfordshire woodland to bolster the county’s only existing population. These animals will help create a bigger and more genetically diverse population of the species in this wood, and is part of our ongoing conservation effort …

‘Stag beetle surveyors’ needed to spot these iconic insects, a priority species in the UK From late-May into July families, groups of friends, and nature enthusiasts from all corners of Britain are called on to take part in an annual stag beetle survey – the Great Stag Hunt – which has been run by wildlife …

A successful predator with a big appetite Britain’s waterways support a diversity of our native wildlife as they meander through tranquil verdant landscapes and bustling urban centres. Yet, an ominous threat lurks on the banks, imperilling the delicate natural balance. Enter the American mink (Neovison vison), a successful predator with a big appetite and a …

The National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme (NHMP) is an exciting new project aiming to calculate robust population estimates for hedgehogs. The project officially launched at the end of March 2024 and the pilot phase is currently running for three years, until May 2026. We started our first surveys last year (2023) and are looking forward to …

Barn owls are one of our best-loved and most recognised birds. Hunting in the daytime as well as during the night, their distinctive heart-shaped faces and ghostly silent flight have endeared them to us, despite their status as an avid hunter. They feed in long grass and woodland edges where they hunt for voles, shrews …

Almost 100 nationwide events are set to mark Orchard Blossom Day 2024 This Friday [26th April] marks the return of Orchard Blossom Day 2024, where traditional orchard groups across the country host events to celebrate fruit trees, their produce and nature. The annual springtime celebration falls on the last Friday in April, but local events …

We will plant 45,000 miles. Not a follow up song by the Proclaimers, but an ambitious target set by Defra to plant and restore 45,000 miles of hedgerow by 2050. An opportunity to design It’s been a long time since we’ve planted hedges at any sort of scale. In fact, most of the hedges we …

The first mammals made an appearance around the start of the dinosaurs’ heyday, 200 million years ago. Then (as now), most dinosaurs were diurnal (active during the day) and keeping out from under their feet was probably a smart move. So, mammals adopted an alternative lifestyle, busying themselves at night. Goats town For a lot …

Help is needed across the country to protect Britain’s fastest declining mammal, before it’s too late Wildlife conservation charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is calling for volunteers in all corners of England, Scotland and Wales to survey endangered water voles, whose populations have plummeted by a staggering 90% since the 1970s. Despite being …

A pioneering new three-year pilot project – the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme (NHMP) – has been launched. For the first time, this will enable robust estimates of hedgehog populations in different habitats across the country, show how these are changing year on year, and, in time, give a national estimate of Britain’s hedgehog population. The …

This spring, leading wildlife conservation charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is calling for volunteers across the UK to take part in its popular annual Living with Mammals survey, in a bid to track changes in our wildlife. ­Volunteers are needed to record sightings of any wild mammals they see each week in their …