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Puffins on the Farne Islands, Northumberland

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A seal pup on the Farne Islands

Seal pups spotted on the Farne Islands 

The first Atlantic grey seal pups of the season have been spotted on the Farne Islands, just off the Northumberland coast. This means our rangers can start this year's seal count to see if numbers are still on the increase, as has been the trend over the last five years. Globally, the Atlantic grey seal is very rare, so it's very important that we know how the population on the Farnes is faring.

Discover seals on the Farnes
Mullion Island

Rangers find remote bird haven littered with elastic bands 

Thousands of elastic bands have been collected from Mullion Island off the Cornish coast. Our rangers were confused at first but they now believe that the bands were picked up by great black-backed herring gulls who mistook them for worms.

Fire fighters tackling the flames at Marsden Moor, West Yorkshire

Thank you for helping us restore Marsden Moor 

With your help we’ve been able to start repairing Marsden Moor, which was devastated by fires earlier this year. So far, we’ve raised over £100,000 to help reverse the damage to this precious peatland landscape. But there’s still more that needs to be done.

Find out what's happening at Marsden Moor
Heather growing alongside a coastal path looking out towards the sea at sunset

Standing up for nature 

As the UK government progresses new nature laws, we're calling for environmental measures to secure the future of our much-loved wildlife, parks and landscapes.

A close up of signatures in the Chartwell Visitors Book

The mystery of Chartwell's Visitors Book signatures 

Staff and volunteers have been digitising the historic Visitors Book at Chartwell in Kent to reveal the famous names who came to call - including Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier and President Truman - but 15 names can't be deciphered.

Help identify the mystery signatures
A mandrake sculpture from the folklore trail at Charlecote Park, Warwickshire

Tales of folklore and superstition 

The nights are drawing in and we’d like to hear your tales of mysterious beliefs, superstitions and traditions before they disappear into the mists of time.

Forget-me-nots in the garden at Peckover House, Cambridgeshire

Working together for a dementia-friendly future 

We’ve partnered with Alzheimer’s Society on an ambitious three-year collaboration to make all 500 National Trust historic and countryside sites dementia-friendly.

Find out what's planned
Grey seal swimming in the sea just off of Lundy island

Safeguarding nature on Lundy for future generations  

We’ve been looking after the peaceful island of Lundy and its rich array of wildlife for half a century. We’re marking this anniversary by renewing our commitment with the Landmark Trust to care for this magical place, off the Devon coast, for a further 50 years.

The high beech canopy in summer

Woodland sounds boost wellbeing, according to new study 

In a new study we've commissioned, woodland sounds have been shown to have a direct impact on our wellbeing, making us more relaxed, less stressed and less anxious. The results revealed that woodland sounds make people feel 30% more relaxed.

Learn more about the impact of woodlands
Jackdaws eat caterpillars that destroy box hedges

Jackdaws help us look after box hedges 

Jackdaws are helping us manage a destructive caterpillar that eats away at the box hedges, which are a key feature of the historic gardens in our care. Much to the relief of our gardeners, the small black crows have been eating the box tree moth caterpillars that have been affecting the hedges at Ham House and Garden in Richmond.

How we keep our hedges healthy
Views like this of Long Mynd from Haddon Hill are under threat

Heather landscapes threatened by climate change  

In late summer the hills at Long Mynd in Shropshire and Holnicote in Exmoor are normally carpeted with purple heather. This year most of the heather at these treasured landscapes in our care didn't bloom because of climate change. Find out what we're doing to get the heather flowering again.

Heather landscapes threatened by climate change
The Cerne Abbas giant, Dorset

Cerne Abbas giant gets a makeover 

We're cleaning up the Cerne Abbas giant, the mysterious figure that has loomed large on a Dorset hillside since the 17th century, if not longer. Now in its 100th year under our care, the 60-metre giant will be re-chalked to ensure its outline remains sharp, bright and visible for miles around.

Meet the Cerne Abbas giant

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