Latest News

Finding meaning in rewilding

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

​Rewilding is held back by quibbles over its precise definition and scope - we need simply to embrace it.

Rewilding is a simple concept: giving land back to wildlife and wildlife back to the land.

To rewild is to restore natural processes, revive degraded habitats, reintroduce species either missing or depleted, and then step back and watch as the ecosystem becomes self-willed and self-regulating once again in an alchemy of flux, dynamism and unpredictability.

New agreement with Esmée Fairbairn Foundation helps implement 13 river improvement projects across England

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

The Rivers Trust has just signed an exciting new agreement with the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (EFF) to provide financial loans to local Rivers Trusts to help them implement 13 river improvement projects across England.

The loans will enable local Rivers Trusts to cash-flow the implementation of their Water Environment Grant projects – a government grant scheme which provides funding to improve the water environment in rural England. Once the projects have been completed and reimbursed by WEG, the loan will be returned to EFF.

Coastal erosion in the spotlight as DEFRA seeks views on new approaches

Monday, July 8, 2019

DEFRA is seeking evidence on how it should develop its approach to managing the risks from flooding and coastal erosion, looking particularly at funding local flood protection initiatives and adapting to coastal change.

The call for evidence points in particular to coastal areas “where it is not sustainable or affordable to build and maintain defences in the long term”, and where “authorities need to plan for a proactive transition”. 

Human activity means UK peatlands contribute to climate change

Monday, July 8, 2019

The UK’s peatlands are making a significant contribution to our greenhouse gas emissions because of the way they are managed, a major study has shown.

Peatlands occupy 12% of the UK’s land area and store vast quantities of carbon. Healthy peatlands capture carbon dioxide (CO­2) from the atmosphere and so can help to offset the effects of human activities such as fossil fuel burning that are raising CO2 levels in the atmosphere, leading to climate change. 

However, around 80% of the UK’s peatlands have been significantly affected by the way they are managed, such as:

Scottish government announces extra £11m for peatland restoration

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The Scottish Government has announced an extra £11m in peatland restoration funding in addition to the £3m awarded earlier this year.

Scotland’s peat soils cover more than 20% of the country and store around 1600 million tonnes of carbon.

When left undisturbed, peatland provides a significant natural sink of CO2, and also benefits the environment by providing an internationally important habitat, improving water quality and reducing flood risk.

Pages