Natural England

Together, we can unlock growth, scale up nature recovery, and strengthen national security. Our new strategy marks a shift in how we work: from regulator to partner and enabler. Read how: gov.uk/government/new…

Farmers, advisors and partners coming together for nature.🌱 @TonyJuniper met with @nfusouth and local farmers in Dorset recently to discuss how nature-friendly farming can support food security, water resilience and thriving landscapes for future generations. ⬇️ #NFFWeek2026

Clean energy doesn't have to come at nature's expense. ☀️ Recently, @TonyJuniper joined Lee, Head of Nature at NextEnergy Capital's Langenhoe Solar Farm in Essex to see how solar development and nature recovery are thriving together. ⬇️ naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2026/05/18/int…

From white storks to beavers to white-tailed eagles - Natural England Chair @TonyJuniper on @BBCr4today on the joy of bringing species back. Full interview here from 2.53.45 bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0…

Britain's largest bird of prey is returning.🦅 We've approved a new licence to release white-tailed eagles in Exmoor National Park. This builds on the existing Isle of Wight programme led by @forestryengland and @RoyDennisWF. naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2026/05/13/sup…

@lfg_uk If you'd like to understand Natural England's position on Hinkley Point C better, please read our blog: naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2026/05/03/hin…

Last week, we revealed that the Chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper, signed a petition to block the development of Hinkley Point C – the same nuclear power plant they are now attempting to halt the construction of. So what’s the truth about Natural England and Tony Juniper? Are they simply a taxpayer funded branch of the anti-nuclear body? Well, Juniper’s activism extends back decades – to his time as director of ‘Friends of the Earth’. In 2005, he wrote an article entitled “Say no to Labour’s nuclear nightmare”, arguing that “investment in a programme to construct new nuclear power plants is not justified” and it “would greatly increase the risk of nuclear proliferation”. At the next election, he was selected as the Green Party’s parliamentary candidate for Cambridge, standing on a platform to “phase out nuclear power and resolutely oppose any new nuclear power stations”. Though he failed to win a seat, Juniper continued to fight against nuclear energy. He argued that “renewables, not nuclear, is [the] way forward”, even going on to say that “nuclear simply does not work in the context of modern energy economics”. After a quarter of a century of “following”, he once told his followers, “we can do without nuclear”. In 2016, Juniper signed the Greenpeace petition to stop the development of Hinkley Point C and promoted articles opposing the development on his [then] Twitter account. Three years later, the Conservative Government appointed the former Green candidate and anti-nuclear Juniper as the Chair of Natural England. He has since been reappointed in 2022, again by the Tories, and in 2025 by the Labour Government. In that time, Natural England have repeatedly tried to delay development and increase costs, infamously insisting upon the £700 million fish disco that will save one salmon every decade. They’ve even blocked kite festivals, new housing, road expansions, and new train lines. Under Juniper’s leadership, Natural England has stopped at nothing to block developments that would improve the lives of millions. It seems they prefer bats, newts, salmon, and hairy spiders over British industries, which have been decimated by the highest energy prices in the developed world. It begs the questions: why are we making it so hard to build in Britain? Why does the British state promote degrowth?

Recent reporting contains several inaccuracies around Natural England's role on Hinkley Point C. There has been no refusal, no ultimatum and no attempt to halt the project. Read how we're working with EDF to resolve outstanding issues: naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2026/05/03/hin…

Did you catch Countryfile on Sunday? Our @NaturalEngland species ecologist Dr Carlos Bedson took presenter Charlotte Smith out onto Bleaklow moorland in the Peak District to survey England's only mountain hare population.🐇

Ever wondered what @NaturalEngland does? I was pleased to record this podcast with the Civil Service Climate & Environment Network, answering questions about our work, why we do it & the context. open.spotify.com/episode/4JcuEy…

Read the full strategy and find out more on our blog: naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2026/04/14/eng…

This funding marks an exciting moment in restoring nature. We look forward to seeing these magnificent birds return to England.

Exciting news for some of our precious species! There are some brilliant conservation stories behind these projects, including the red-billed chough which has gone from persecution as a pest to being on the path to recovery.

One of England’s most treasured landscapes. 💚 Our Chief Executive, @MarianSpain, and @DefraGovUK's Minister for Nature, Mary Creagh MP, explain why the designation of Seven Sisters as a National Nature Reserve marks a milestone for nature recovery in England. ⬇️

Every native species we save strengthens the web of life that supports us all.💚 This extraordinary new investment in the Species Recovery Programme means restoring more thriving ecosystems at scale for a healthier, more resilient future for people and nature.

A remarkable find at Kingley Vale NNR 🍄 The blue-based earthtongue has been recorded in the UK for the first time and only the second time in Europe! Discovered by amateur #fungi enthusiast, Liz Frost. Read more in our latest blog: 👉 naturalengland.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/26/a-r… 📸: Liz Frost

🌱 Happy #SocialPrescribingDay! 🌱 What if nature was part of healthcare? Green social prescribing connects people to nature, improving mental & physical health. Watch Dr William Bird explain more 👇 #GreenSocialPrescribing youtube.com/watch?v=l8k6vW…

The Coast to Coast Path is England’s newest National Trail. 🎉 Spanning three National Parks from the #LakeDistrict to #NorthYorkshire, National Trail status will give even more people the chance to explore this 190-mile iconic route. gov.uk/government/new… #CoastToCoast

2,700 miles. The longest managed coastal path in the world. 🌊 The King Charles III England Coast Path has officially launched, connecting people to England's entire coastline for the first time in history. Read more: gov.uk/government/new… #KCIIIECP

We were thrilled to welcome His Majesty The King to open the new Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve, part of The King’s series, and launch the King Charles III England Coast Path today. 🌊 These both stand as enduring commitments to protecting nature and public access.

Today we celebrate the declaration of the Seven Sisters #NationalNatureReserve (NNR). 🎉 1,500 hectares of globally rare habitats and wildlife better protected for nature and people. This marks the halfway point in the King's Series of NNRs. 25 by 2028. gov.uk/government/new…

This is a vital step forward. By taking a more strategic view of how we use land we can deliver homes, food security, clean energy and nature recovery — not as competing priorities, but as part of the same joined-up vision.