Seven conservation projects gain funding to help protect threatened species

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has successfully secured government backing for seven of their conservation projects under Natural England's Species Recovery Programme.

This move is part of a £60 million initiative, aiming to support 130 projects that will benefit 364 threatened species over the next three years.

The key areas involved in these projects include Yorkshire, Northern Lincolnshire, Northumbria, East Midlands, Cumbria, Cheshire, and Lancashire among others.

Nick von Westenholz, CEO of GWCT, expressed the significance of this success by stating that it demonstrates confidence in GWCT’s research and conservation efforts.

He emphasised that their science-led approach is crucial for delivering effective conservation that benefits wildlife, land managers, and the broader countryside.

The seven projects range from addressing habitat management for black grouse, to efforts aimed at Atlantic salmon smolt tracking in Devon, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds highlighted the urgency of these efforts, noting that nearly one in six species in Britain are threatened with extinction.

She mentioned that the government’s investment will help protect and restore habitats across the country, safeguarding England's iconic species.

Natural England's chair, Tony Juniper, reinforced the importance of science and partnerships in restoring species to a favourable status with this financial support.

In addition to the £60 million for species recovery, a further £30 million is allocated for recovery on the national forest estate, taking the total government commitment to £90 million.

This funding aligns with the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan targets which aim to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and reduce species extinction risk by 2042.

The GWCT projects that have received funding are:

1. Range expansion and habitat management for black grouse conservation targeting Black Grouse in Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire, Northumbria, East Midlands, Cumbria, and Cheshire to Lancashire
2. Merlin recovery in north-eastern England targeting Merlins in Northumbria, Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire
3. Kestrel and rodenticides targeting Kestrel in Wessex
4. ASSIST – Atlantic salmon smolt index, supplementation and tracking project targeting Atlantic Salmon in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and Wessex
5. Evaluation and strategic development of nest-protection measures designed to improve oystercatcher breeding success targeting Oystercatchers in Thames Solent, Norfolk and Suffolk
6. Assessing the decline in swallow insect prey and swallow breeding success in relation to agricultural intensification targeting Swallow in Wessex and Thames Solent
7. Understanding and addressing drivers of woodcock decline tarteting Eurasian Woodcock in the East Midlands, Norfolk and Suffolk, Thames Solent, and West Midlands

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.