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Puffins on the Farne Islands, Northumberland

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Coronavirus update Our latest media statement
A peacock on the terrace at Powis Castle and Garden, Powys, Wales

While you've been away: wildlife takeover edition 

Lockdown has meant that the gardens and estates in our care have been unusually quiet in recent weeks, but local bird and mammal populations have been making the most of it. From peregrines nesting in a castle to attention-deprived peacocks, here are some of the most unusual wildlife stories from lockdown.

Find out more
A girl writing with a quill at Quarry Bank Apprentice House

Contribute to our collection of historic letters 

Our collections include thousands of historic letters, which contain fascinating and poignant tales of the past. We’re calling for people around the country to pick up pens and get writing and add to the national story of these current unusual times. We'd love to receive your lockdown experiences in letter form, via email.

National Trust Director-General Hilary McGrady at Leigh Woods, Bristol

Hilary McGrady calls for urgent support for nature and wildlife sectors 

Our Director-General, Hilary McGrady has urged the Government to ensure its Covid-19 recovery plans support a greener economy. She has called for clear forward-planning to protect green spaces, continue environmental progress and ensure more people have better access to nature-rich green space.

Read Hilary's comments
pink apple blossom

Bumper year for apple blossom  

Apple blossom has flourished this year after a mild winter and several weeks of continuous sunshine. We're expecting a good harvest of delicious apples at the orchards in our care. The display of blooms at Cotehele in Cornwall, which is home to 125 varieties of apple tree, was particularly outstanding. Discover more about the UK's colourful blossom season.

Shrill carder bee queen Bombus sylvarum

Rare bees gain a foothold in Somerset 

Lytes Cary Manor, an estate we care for in Somerset, has been named by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Buglife as one of two sites in England for the endangered Shrill carder bee. We'd like to thank our staff, volunteers and tenant farmers who have worked together to provide the bees with a haven and precious nectar sources. We’ve also been restoring flower-rich grasslands across the country.

More on how we protect bees
A beaver swimming in the river at Holnicote

Beavers make themselves at home on Exmoor estate 

Beavers have been settling in to new homes on Holnicote Estate where they have been introduced to help manage water for people and nature. We've released the pair of beavers to an area of river running through Exmoor in Somerset. Early signs in April 2020 show that the beavers are adjusting well. Webcam footage shows the beavers feeding and grooming as they settle into their new surroundings.

Wessenden Valley, Marsden Moor, West Yorkshire

Wildlife returns to Marsden Moor one year after fire 

Our rangers are pleased to report that the precious peatland habitats at Marsden Moor in West Yorkshire are showing positive signs of recovery one year after it was devastated by fire. Short-eared owls, curlews, skylarks and mountain hares have been spotted in the area following a huge conservation effort carried out by rangers and volunteers. Find out more about our work to protect the countryside and the wildlife that depends on it.

Wildlife returns to Marsden Moor one year after fire
Close-up of daffodils in the garden at Tyntesfield

Nature diary: share your first day of spring 

We’ve received hundreds of diary entries from wildlife lovers sharing their observations of the arrival of spring. This year's entries show how nature can bring us joy, comfort and relief during difficult times.

National Trust Director-General Hilary McGrady

Enjoy the Easter break at home 

Stay at home this Easter, urges our Director-General Hilary McGrady, at what is traditionally one of our busiest times. Instead, we'll bring Easter fun to you with lots of activities to help you stay connected to nature, history and beauty during this difficult time.

Hear from Hilary
Sandilands beach

We will create a nature reserve on Lincolnshire coast 

We've taken a stretch of coast at Sandilands into our care to create homes for wildlife, including rare seabirds such as black-tailed godwit and oystercatcher. Discover how we will work with partners to transform the former golf course into a nature reserve, restoring dunes and wetlands to create homes for wildlife. Work will begin once the Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted.

Our work at Sandilands
View of Barmouth town and harbour at Dinas Oleu

Dinas Oleu: Visual tour of special landscape 

To mark the 125th anniversary of the first landscape to come into our care we’re giving you the chance to experience the beauty of Dinas Oleu in North Wales from your own home. We've taken a series of springtime photographs of this magnificent hillside, overlooking the golden sands of the Llŷn Peninsula. This special place was gifted to the nation by philanthropist Fanny Talbot in March 1895.

Discover Dinas Oleu

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