State of Nature 2019: UK's wildlife loss continues unabated

Kittiwakes and other seabirds have struggled because of the lack of sandeels in our oceans — Kittiwakes and other seabirds have struggled because of the lack of sand eels in our oceans

Butterflies fluttering, a kittiwake diving into ice-blue waves and the sweet song of skylarks first thing in the morning. These sights and sounds are becoming even rarer with 41 per cent of species in decline since 1970. We need to act now to stop this loss, creating more homes for wildlife and calling on governments to introduce stronger environmental protections.

The State of Nature report 2019, which shows 15 per cent of wildlife species are under threat from extinction, paints a bleak picture but we believe there's still hope of reversing these devastating losses.

We're doing everything we can to protect wildlife by addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the natural world. These include climate change, intensive farming, pollution, an increase in non-native invasive predators and the destruction of woodlands and wetlands.

By 2025 we'll have created 25,000 hectares of wildlife habitats, which will help a variety of wildlife, including rare butterflies at Heddon valley in Devon and birds such as the golden plover in Dark Peak in the Peak District. We also want at least half of the farmland in our care to be nature-friendly so that plants and animals can thrive.

State of Nature report 2019: loss of nature since 1970

15 per cent of species under threat of extinction and 2 per cent of species have already gone for good
Average abundance of wildlife has fallen by 13 per cent with the steepest losses in the last ten years
41 per cent of UK species studied have fallen and 133 species have already been lost from our shores
Butterflies and moths, down 17 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. Numbers of high brown fritillary and grayling butterflies, have fallen by more than three quarters
The average amount of mammals has fallen by 26 per cent and the wild cat and greater mouse-eared bat are almost extinct

Rosie Hails, Nature and Science Director at the National Trust said: 'We are now at a crossroads when we need to pull together with actions rather than words to stop and reverse the decline of those species at risk as well as protecting and creating new habitats in which they can thrive.

'We need a strong new set of environmental laws to hold our governments and others to account and to set long-term and ambitious targets. Only a robust approach to environmental protections and law making can deliver this for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.'

Wildlife returns to Marsden Moor a year after after devastating fire

The precious peatland habitats at Marsden Moor in West Yorkshire are showing some positive signs of recovery, according to our rangers. Short-eared owls, curlews, skylarks and mountain hares have been spotted in the area a year after the blaze, which broke out on 21 April 2019. This follows a huge conservation effort carried out by our rangers and volunteers, as well as an appeal that received donations totalling £100,000 from National Trust supporters.

Work has included planting tens of thousands of individual sphagnum moss plugs and building leaky dams. These measures help to ‘rewet’ the moor by holding water while allowing carbon to be absorbed by the peat soils, which are a vital defence against climate change.

But a recent spell of dry weather coupled with a lack of resources in a time of national crisis means there’s a risk of further fires. We’re urging the public to act responsibly during this time.

Want to help? Join us and stand up for nature

Grizzled Skipper Butterfly — We reintroduced the rare grizzled skipper to Calke Abbey, where it had not been seen for 52 years

Read the full State of Nature report

The State of Nature report 2019 describes how human impacts are affecting huge changes in wildlife in the UK. The loss of nature affects us all, but the greatest impacts will be upon the lives of young people today, and future generations.

Get the full report

Working with farmers who champion nature

A view of the bay Porthor, Llyn Peninsula, Wales

Farming that allows wildlife to thrive

Our farmers at Llyn, a golden stretch of coastline in south west Wales, are being rewarded for creating welcoming homes for wildlife. The area is involved in a scheme that makes payments to tenant farmers based on how well the wildlife flourishes on the land they manage. At Llyn, the farmers are helping us look after coastal slopes and healthland, as well as making sure neighbouring fields are sustainable and full of flowers to attract birds and butterflies.

Helping farmland birds

Our approach to farming in Pembrokeshire is helping more than 22,000 birds, including skylark, chaffinch, starling, and lapwing. According to the National Trust’s farmland bird survey in Wales, there are 64 different kinds of birds living across nine of the tenanted farms in the north of the county. The farmers support birds and other wildlife by allowing some fields to remain fallow, keeping field margins free from chemicals, looking after grasslands and growing crops that offer protection and food.

Neil Heseltine with his Belted Galloways

Recognising farmers who champion nature

The farmers we work with go to extraordinary lengths to produce tasty food while caring for the countryside and the wildlife that depends on it. This is no small task, which is why we recognise their efforts at the Fine Farm Produce Awards. This year Neil Heseltine, a fourth-generation farmer at Hilltop Farm in Malham, in the Yorkshire Dales, won the prestigious Farming with Nature award.

What we're doing about climate change

Sunshine filtering through the tree canopies at Winkworth Arboretum, Surrey

Help our woodlands blossom

Did you know trees are our natural armour in the battle against climate change? By looking after existing woodlands and the wildlife that call them home, we can grow a greener future together. Help our woodlands blossom and donate to our Woodlands appeal today.

Preserving ancient wetlands

Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire is the oldest nature reserve in our care, and last year we celebrated its 120th anniversary. These precious fenland landscapes are not only home to thousands of plants and animals, they also lock up carbon. We've created more wetland by using excess flood water from the river during the winter. This helps to lock away as much as 80 per cent of the carbon stored in the peat.

We're using green energy

From capturing the energy of mountain streams and flowing rivers to bringing green power to a 19th-century mill hidden in a wooded valley, we're working in groundbreaking ways to reduce the impact we have on the environment. We already have 100 renewable energy projects up and running and by 2021, we aim to generate 50 per cent of our energy needs from renewable sources.

Protecting endangered wildlife

A lone puffin on a rock in the Farne Islands, Northumberland

Looking after the Farne Islands

We know that climate change is one of the biggest threats to the variety of life on earth, so we're working hard to minimise the impact on precious wildlife habitats such as the Farne Islands in Northumberland. The islands are home to rare seabirds such as kittiwake, tern, puffin and skua. The increasing temperatures of our oceans means there are fewer sand eels for these birds to eat. Volatile weather conditions can also interfere with nesting and migratory patterns. Find out how we monitor and look after wildlife on the Farne Islands.

A good tern for rare seabirds

A colony of little terns at Long Nanny has had its most successful season for almost 30 years. The increase in numbers is largely thanks to our rangers, who camped out for three months to protect the birds' nests. This month they counted 54 fledgling chicks leaving the area to start their long migration to West Africa. Last year there were no fledglings as storms forced 40 breeding pairs to abandon their nests.

Creating homes for butterflies

Our rangers carry our painstaking work to restore grasslands to attract or reintroduce rare butterflies, some of which haven't been spotted for decades. The marsh fritillary butterfly was recently found at Marsham in Devon after a 45-year absence. Last seen in 1974, the butterfly returned to the area following work to restore the culm grassland. Rangers took away scrub and woodland to make way for seeds of mixed grasses and flowers to grow. Native-breed cattle were also put out to graze to create varied vegetation.

" I have never seen a hedgehog, although my parents used to see them all the time in the area. Many others my age have had the same experience. I’m worried that we’re close to losing them from our countryside forever."

How you can stand up for nature

Whether you become a National Trust member, enjoy a coffee in our cafés, donate to one of our appeals, or volunteer, you'll be helping us care for precious landscapes and the wildlife that depend on them. You can also get involved with your local conservation groups.

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