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last mo.

Natural England Publishes Species Recovery Findings and Plans Four-Year Extension

They warn that without tougher targets, sustained funding, broader public involvement, recent gains for more than 150 threatened species risk fading

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The Lady's Slipper orchid was one of the species helped by the conservaion project

Overview

  • The £13 million capital grants scheme supported recovery efforts for over 150 threatened species across England, according to results published this week.
  • Between August 2023 and March 2025, 63 projects partnered with 78 organisations to relocate more than 15,000 animals and plants, captive-breed over 12,000 individuals and create or enhance about 2,400 hectares of habitat.
  • Key successes include the first wild-hatched red-billed chough chick in Kent for over 200 years, black grouse reintroduction in the North Yorkshire Moors and the large marsh grasshopper’s return to the Norfolk Broads after 85 years.
  • Natural England has released a threatened species recovery actions guide covering more than 1,000 species and proposed extending the recovery programme for up to four years.
  • Chair Tony Juniper and other agency leaders are calling for increased private investment, expanded volunteer engagement and more ambitious government targets in the forthcoming environmental improvement plan to cement these conservation gains.