Nature and climate glossary

Adaptation

In the context of climate change, 'adaptation' refers to the actions that people, organisations and governments can take to cope with the effects of a changing climate. Examples include things that build resilience, or reduce weaknesses, or protect against future risks. Adaptation is sometimes referred to as 'climate resilience'.

For us, adapting to climate change means changing the way we’re looking after places to reduce the risks posed by the changing climate.

Planting crops and flowers that can survive high temperatures and drought is one example of how we’re adapting.

Discover more about how we're adapting to a changing climate.

Afforestation

Afforestation is the planting or establishing of trees on land that wasn’t wooded before.

Agri-environment scheme

Government funding to encourage farmers and land managers to adopt practices that protect and enhance the environment by improving water, air and soil quality and boosting biodiversity.

Alternative energy

Alternative energy is energy that doesn't come from fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas or wood). The term encompasses renewable energy, such as solar, wind and biomass, as well as nuclear energy. Discover more about how we're using solar power and how we're using biomass energy .

Air source heat pump

A form of heat pump (see under H) that takes heat from fresh air and uses it to heat a building or water, via compressors and a heat exchanger. It's a bit like the reverse of how a fridge works. Find out more about heat pumps at the places we look after. 

Biodiversity  

This short form of ‘biological diversity’, is used to encapsulate the variety of all living things on Earth, including animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms.

This interconnected web of life supports all life on Earth, including people. From the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat, to the medicines we need to fight disease, all human life relies on biodiversity.

Abundant biodiversity can also help to prevent flooding and other effects of extreme weather (see also ecosystem services).

As well as all living things, the term also includes the different communities they form and habitats where they live, from small defined areas to entire complex ecosystems (such as a woodland) where all kinds of lifeforms can be found interacting with the physical environment around them. 

Learn more about biodiversity.

Biofuel

Usually a liquid fuel that's made from living things or their waste. The difference between a biofuel and a fossil fuel is that biofuels can be produced quickly, whereas it takes millions of years for fossil fuels like oil to be created.

Biofuels can be used as a source of heat or power and can be made from algae as well as plants and crops such as sugar cane and maize. A common example of biofuel is ethanol.

Biodegradable domestic or industrial waste (see biowaste) can also be turned into biofuel.

Biofuels can offer solutions to some of the disadvantages of other renewable energy sources, including the need for large tracts of land, upfront production costs and end-of-life disposal.

Biomass

Any organic matter that can be used as a fuel source to generate energy.

Organic matter includes material resulting from, or produced by, living things such as plants, animals, bacteria, fungi and other life forms. Examples include crops, grasses, leaf litter, wood and animal waste.

Biomass can be burned directly for heat or converted to liquid and gaseous fuels through various processes.

For us, biomass is often the waste wood produced as a result of our careful managing of woodlands. Yes, carbon dioxide is released when this wood is burned, but much less than through the conventional burning of fossil fuels. Find out more about biomass energy at the places in our care.

Biowaste

Biowaste includes organic waste that may come from gardens or parks, our home kitchens,cafés and restaurants.

Breeding success

The overall proportion of young raised successfully by different species. For example, the proportion of nests that successfully fledge at least one chick.

This number’s often used to compare the success of species from one year to the next as it’s possible to track breeding success over time. This helps us monitor trends and assess the impact of other factors on populations.

Carbon capture and storage

Carbon capture and storage (sometimes CCS) means capturing CO₂ from the atmosphere and storing it.

Carbon capture and storage techniques range from industrial-based to nature-based solutions (see also nature-based solutions).

In industry for example, capture and storage facilities from a large emission source might include separating CO₂ from other gases so that concentrated CO₂ can be transported and injected into deep underground reservoirs. For this reason, carbon capture that refers to underground storage is also called geological sequestration.

Nature can also help us capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it. From soils to seabeds, working with natural systems is one way to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Read more about how we're capturing carbon.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) 

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a gas that occurs naturally in the Earth’s atmosphere. It’s also the main ‘greenhouse gas’ produced by human activity and most responsible for warming the planet.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in around 1750, the level of CO₂ in the atmosphere has increased by 50 per cent.

Activity such as burning fossil fuels and changes in land use means we’ve supercharged the natural greenhouse effect (see also greenhouse effect), causing global temperatures to rise.

Discover how we’re part of the global fight against climate change, the challenges we face with shifting weather patterns and what we’re doing to care for historic houses and landscapes in our care. Read more about climate change and sustainability at the National Trust.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) equivalent is a standard unit for measuring the carbon footprint of something. The idea is to express the impact of each different greenhouse gas in terms of the amount of CO₂ it would take to create the same amount of global warming. This way, the overall warming effect of a cocktail of different greenhouse gases can be expressed as a single number.

Carbon footprint

Carbon footprint is a term used to estimate the full climate change impact of something.

It’s a way to measure the total greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced directly or indirectly from an activity, an item, a lifestyle, an individual, a company or even a country.

Carbon neutral

To be carbon neutral, any carbon dioxide (CO₂) released into the atmosphere from a company’s or country’s activities has to be balanced by an equivalent amount being removed. If this balance is achieved, the result is no net release of CO₂ (‘net-zero carbon emissions’).

For example, growing biomass takes CO₂ out of the atmosphere, while burning it releases the gas again. This process would be carbon neutral if the amount taken out and the amount released were identical.

A company or country can also achieve carbon neutrality by means of carbon offsetting. See ‘carbon offsetting’ for more information on this.

Carbon net zero

Carbon net zero (sometimes ‘net-zero carbon’) means that greenhouse gas emissions are balanced by absorbing an equivalent amount from the atmosphere.

It’s similar to ‘carbon neutral’, but there’s a crucial difference. While carbon neutral means just balancing emissions, carbon net zero specifically means reducing carbon emissions to achieve that balance.

Carbon offsetting

The practice of achieving carbon neutrality by investing in projects that take CO₂ out of the atmosphere, or those that result in emissions being avoided (such as wind farms).

There are many forms of offsetting, but they often involve paying someone else, somewhere else, to save emissions equivalent to those produced by your activity.

At the National Trust, we're working to reduce emissions as far as we can ourselves, and to remove the equivalent amount of carbon through the way we look after the landscapes in our care. Find out more about our Climate and Environment Policy.

Carbon sequestration/sequestering carbon

Carbon sequestration means the long-term removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – both naturally (absorbed by growing trees and plants) and artificially (see carbon capture and storage).

The process involves capturing, removing and permanently storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. It’s one way to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The ultimate goal is to limit climate change across the world.

We’re working to increase the amount of carbon stored in the landscapes we look after alone, and also those that we look after with partners.

Ways to do this include things like planting woods, and making heathlands, wetlands and peatlands healthy again. These activities work with nature to remove carbon from the atmosphere, and they benefit both people and wildlife. They're widely seen as a positive and effective way to respond to climate change.

Read more on how we're capturing carbon.

Carbon sink

Carbon sink is a name for anything that absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases. Earth’s biggest carbon sinks are the oceans, forests and peat bogs

Climate

Climate is usually defined as the ‘average weather’ in a given area – locally, regionally or globally – using the pattern of temperature and rainfall over time, usually a minimum of 30 years.

Climate change

Climate change refers to changes in the Earth's climate over an extended period – typically decades or longer. The term covers temperature and weather, so it encompasses shifts in average temperature (up or down), rainfall, wind speed and extreme weather conditions, as well as variations in sea levels, snow and ice.

These changes can be caused by natural processes as well as by human activity, but it's what we do as humans that continues to have by far the greatest impact.

Climate change is biggest threat to the coast, countryside and historic buildings we care for.

Global warming is one aspect of climate change. The Earth's surface temperature has increased faster since 1970 than in any other 50-year period over the last 2,000 years. We humans are increasingly influencing the climate and the Earth's temperature.

Activities such as the burning of fossil fuels cause the release of carbon dioxide into the air. This raises the levels of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere, trapping heat and increasing the average temperatures on the ground.

Find out how we're tackling climate change and how you can help tackle climate change.

Climate crisis

See also ‘climate change’. This term is now more widely used as it conveys a greater sense of the urgency and threat to us all. There are things we can all do to help tackle this crisis, see how you can help tackle climate change.

Climate emergency

Climate emergency is a term most commonly used in the formal declaration of an organisation or government. They declare a climate emergency to record that climate change exists and that the situation is critical.

The term has been defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as ‘a situation in which urgent action is required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it.’

Climate positive

For activity to be classed as ‘climate positive’ it means it goes beyond carbon net zero or carbon neutral. It means actively removing more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it emits, creating a net positive impact on the environment. Examples include, nature-friendly or carbon farming, and tree planting schemes.

Climate resilience

The ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from the effects of climate change, such as extreme weather.

Coastal (habitat)

Where land meets the sea. Coastal habitats are made up of several habitats, including rocky shores, dunes, cliffs, mudflats, saltmarsh and sandy or shingle beaches.

Conservation grazing

Is the use of livestock such as cattle, pigs, ponies and sheep to manage a site for wildlife. Conservation grazing helps to increase the diversity of species by creating the right conditions for a wide range of insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, and plants.

Using animals in this way, for low intensity grazing, helps create a more varied strucure of vegetation as they graze freely, choosing different plants or different parts of the plant as well as woody vegetation to eat. The animals also help control dominant plants that would otherwise take over.

Trampling by grazing animals also helps to create areas of bare ground habitat among grasses, scrub and trees. Bare ground is vital for supporting a wide variety of animals and plants, including reptiles and amphibians.

COP

COP stands for Conference of the Parties. The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP30, is being held in Brazil from 10 to 21 November 2025. It will bring world leaders together to agree on actions they need to take to achieve the Paris Agreement goals.

Cover crops

Cover crops are a nature-friendly farming practice that involves planting non-cash crops between the harvest and establishment of a main cash crop, to improve soil health and reduce environmental impact. They offer numerous benefits, including increased soil fertility, reduced erosion, and enhanced biodiversity. Find out about nature-friendly farming.

Decarbonising

Means removing carbon emissions by various actions. We’re decarbonising by switching to low carbon heat, power, vehicles and machinery. We’re also reducing agricultural emissions by cutting back on fertiliser use and livestock numbers and reducing emissions through our supply chain.

Deforestation

Deforestation is the permanent clearing of woods and forests, which can lead to high levels of CO₂ being released into the atmosphere.

Ecosystem

A geographic area where living things including plants, animals and other organisms interact with each other and their environment, including the weather and landscape.

This community supports an interconnected web of life. Healthy ecosystems absorb greenhouse gases, support biodiversity and help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Ecosystem engineers

Ecosystem engineers are organisms whose presence or activity in an ecosystem, alters their physical surroundings or changes the flow of resources. As a result, they help create or modify habitats.

Beavers are an example of natural ecosystem engineers. They change the habitats that they live in by digging canal systems, damming water courses, and coppicing trees and shrubs. .

They build dams to create deep pools of water, which offer shelter from predators and allow them to access and store food. The dams, ponds and channels they create, have the added advantage of preventing flooding by slowing, storing and filtering water as it flows downstream.

Beavers became extinct on mainland Britain during the 16th century, but they've recently been reintroduced at some of the places we care for where they're helping to make areas of river more resilient to climate change and the extremes of weather it will bring. The dams they create hold water in dry periods, help to lessen flash-flooding downstream, reduce erosion and improve water quality.

Their activity is also creating more diverse wetland habitats, benefiting a variety of wildlife, including bats, dragonflies, birds such as kingfishers, owls, moorhens and woodpeckers and otters.

Find out more about beavers at the places in our care.

Ecosystem services

Ecosystem services is the umbrella term for the numerous benefits that humans receive from healthy, functioning ecosystems.

• Provisioning services: tangible goods that humans can extract from nature, for example food, water, wood, fuel and medicines.

• Regulating services: include services like climate regulation, flood regulation and pollination. These are the benefits obtained from natural process and functioning ecosystems.

• Cultural services: these are the non-material benefits that we receive from the ecosystems around us. For example, the therapeutic and recreational opportunities that nature provides us with to reconnect with our surroundings, relax and enjoy hobbies.

See also natural capital.

Emissions

Emissions are substances released into the air, measured by their concentrations, or parts per million, in the atmosphere. The majority of UK emissions come from transport and buildings, including powering our homes.

Energy efficiency

Being energy efficient means using less energy to achieve the same goal to minimise waste. An example of energy efficient measures includes switching to LED lighting, which uses significantly less electricity while producing the same amount of light. You can find more ways to save energy and money with our top tips on saving energy at home.

Environment

The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, plant or other organism lives or operates. The environment includes all living and non-living things. The health of the environment on planet Earth impacts all living things.

Extreme weather event

In relation to climate change, this means weather that is unusually severe, frequent, or unexpected for a given location and time. Extreme weather events can include heavy rainfall and floods, storms, heatwaves, droughts and unseasonable cold spells.

Farmland (habitat)

In the UK, farmland is made up of a variety of habitats that support a wide range of wildlife including arable land (used for growing crops), grasslands, hedgerows and field margins.

Fauna

The animal life in a particular region or habitat at a certain time.

Flora

The plant life in a particular region or habitat at a certain time.

Food security

Food security means people having reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food to be able to live a productive and healthy life.

Climate change will affect food security, with some countries being worse off than others. Factors such as variable temperatures, too much or too little rainfall, extreme weather conditions, melting glaciers and rising sea levels will affect the stability of farming, fishing, food production and food supplies throughout the world

Fossil fuels 

Fossil fuels are natural resources, such as coal, oil and natural gas, formed in the Earth’s crust from decomposing plants and animals over millions of years. When burnt as fuel, they produce carbon dioxide and are a major contributor to global warming.

Freshwater (habitat)

Examples of freshwater habitats include rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and wetlands like bogs and freshwater marshes. The water in these habitats has a low salt content compared to our seas and oceans. They play a crucial role in supplying drinking water, supporting high levels of biodiversity, and offering natural flood defence.

Global average temperature 

Global average temperature is used to describe the average surface temperature of the Earth, made up of both land and ocean surface temperatures at a specific point in time. 

It's calculated by averaging the temperature readings from various sources like weather stations, ships, buoys, and satellites. This provides a snapshot versus the long-term temperatures, measured over a longer period, describing how the global average temperature changes over decades or centuries. 

Global warming 

Global warming is used to describe the steady rise in average temperatures recorded across the world in recent decades, which experts believe is caused by increased emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities. Global warming is a type of climate change.

Grassland (habitat)

An ancient habitat, grassland is classified as:

• Calcareous - found on shallow lime-rich soils

• Acidic - found on sands, gravels and rocks

• Neutral - found on clay and loam soils

They’re generally divided into upland (above 300m) and lowland grassland. Different species can be found in the cooler, wetter climate of upland areas compared to the warmer, drier and less exposed lowland grassland habitats.

Our species-rich grasslands in the UK store two billion tonnes of carbon in their soils and act as huge carbon stores. When managed carefully they lock away carbon and are vital for boosting biodiversity as they support for a wide range of plant and animal species, including insects, birds, mammals, and amphibians.

Greenhouse effect

Greenhouse effect describes the insulating effect of these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, allowing solar radiation to warm the Earth and then preventing some of the heat from escaping.

Greenhouse gases (GHGs)

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are natural and industrial gases that trap heat from the Earth, preventing it from escaping into space, warming the Earth’s surface. Natural greenhouse gases include water vapour, methane and nitrous oxide, as well as the well-known carbon dioxide.

Habitat

Habitat means the natural place where plants, animals or other organisms live.

Different habitats provide the right conditions for various living organisms.

A healthy habitat must provide all the things that they each need to survive and thrive. For example, animals need food, shelter, space and the opportunity to find a mate and reproduce. Plants require a habitat that provides them with the right amount of light, air, water and nutrients.

Habitat fragmentation

Habitat fragmentation describes how once large and connected areas of habitat, have broken down over time into smaller, more isolated patches, often due to human activities like development, roads, and in some cases, agriculture.

Habitat fragmentation is a significant threat to biodiversity and climate stability as the ability to travel safely across the landscape is crucial to the success of species. Wildlife relies on joined up habitats, to move between different areas to feed, breed and find shelter.

Our gardens and greenspaces can help bridge the gap, by providing 'stepping stones' across the landscape. Find out how you can help nature on your doorstep.

Heat pumps

Heat pumps are devices that use a small amount of energy, in the form of electricity, to move heat from one location to another, such as a building. The heat is then amplified with compressors and passed through something called a heat exchanger. From there it’s taken to an underfloor or radiator heating system. Find out more about heat pumps at the places we look after.

Heathland and moorland (habitat)

TBC

IPCC

IPCC stands for The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It was set up by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organisation to review and assess the most recent scientific, technical and socio-economic research on climate change. The IPCC was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

Keystone species

A gauge of good habitat health, keystone species are animals or plants that must be present for the other living things in an area to continue to exist. They're key to the success of the environment in which they live, even if they’re not the most common species in the environment.

This means that, regardless of their numbers, keystone species play a critical role in maintaining the structure of the ecological community – directly impacting the variety and numbers of other species present. Ecosystems face dramatic changes and even collapse if a keystone species is removed, even though it may have only made up a small part of the community.

Oak trees are an example of a keystone species. Ancient oaks support more than 2,300 other species including birds, bats and insects – more than any other native tree.

Landscape-scale conservation

A land management approach that involves working in collaboration at a large scale for multiple benefits, across a defined area. A river catchment project that aims to improve areas within the catchment to help reduce flooding, improve water quality, and to achieve better data for monitoring, is an example of landscape-scale conservation.

Life cycle carbon assessment

A way of measuring all the carbon released during the life of a building, product or project – from the materials and construction to its use and end-of-life.

Marine (habitat)

UK marine habitats are diverse and include coastal habitats like salt or brackish marshes, estuaries, rocky shores and beaches as well as offshore habitats such as cold-water coral reefs, sponge gardens and kelp forests to name a few.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

These are designated areas of the ocean established to protect habitats, species and processes essential for healthy, functioning marine ecosystems. MPAs play a crucial role in the future of our seas and the sustainable use of marine resources. 

Methane

Methane is the second most important man-made greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide. Sources include both the natural world (wetlands, termites, wildfires) and human activity (agriculture, waste dumps, leaks from coal mining).

Mitigation

In the context of climate change, refers to any action aimed at reducing man-made climate change. This includes measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or to absorb greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Multi-hazard weather event

A multi-hazard weather event occurs when multiple types of weather hazards, happen at the same time or in sequence. The combined impact is greater than the sum of their individual impacts. 

Multi-hazard weather events can be triggered by various factors, including climate change and extreme weather patterns. Examples include a heatwave followed by a flood, or a drought leading to wildfires.

Native species

A native species is a species that naturally occurs in a specific geographic area without human intervention, also known as its natural range.

Natural capital

The world’s stock of natural resources, including geology, soils, air, water and all living organisms, many of which provide valuable benefits to humans, see also ecosystem services. For example, a woodland can be a natural capital asset, while also helping to reduce flood risk reduction and helping with carbon capture.

Natural flood management

Means utilising and working with the landscape to temporarily hold water. Natural flood management uses natural processes to reduce the risk of flooding and coastal erosion.

You may have heard of the phrase 'slow the flow' which is a natural flood management technique used specifically for rivers.

Ways to slow the flow include things like restoring river bends and changing the way land is used so soil can absorb more water. This can help with temporarily holding rainwater in the headwaters (upstream) during a storm event, reducing the speed and the amount of peak flow going downstream.

Another example of natural flood management is creating saltmarshes on the coast to absorb the energy of waves.

Nature-based solutions

Nature-based solutions means working with nature to address challenges to society, in ways that benefit both people and biodiversity.

More specifically, they are actions to protect, restore or look after natural or semi-natural ecosystems – including watercourses, agricultural land and forests – and to create new ecosystems in and around cities.

Nature connection

People’s individual emotional, psychological and spiritual connection to the natural world around us, and the different ways they connect to it – in a nutshell how people think about, feel about, and experience nature. It can also mean noticing what's happening around us by using our senses.

Natural regeneration

A process where plants, particularly trees and shrubs, reproduce and spread naturally without human intervention for example, seed dispersal, as opposed to planting by people.

Natural regeneration supports biodiversity and helps store carbon, especially when linked to existing woodland.

Net zero

Short for net zero emissions, net zero is used to describe the balance between reducing emissions and removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

By reducing how many greenhouse gases we emit into the atmosphere, at the same time as removing those already out there, we can achieve net zero.

Examples of net zero initiatives include replacing polluting coal, gas and oil-fired power with energy from renewable sources, such as wind or solar.

We're working to dramatically reduce our use of fossil fuels at properties and places across the UK. Our work so far has cut down on carbon emissions, made sites from castles to cottages more sustainable and saved money to plough back into conservation work.

Learn more about climate and environment objectives.

Nature restoration 

The process of helping repair natural habitats that have been damaged, depleted or destroyed return to health.

Habitats may have been damaged by human activity such as overextraction or impacted by the presence of invasive species.

We’re working to create and restore wildlife habitats and ecosystems to help nature recover and increase biodiversity. Find out about some of our nature restoration work.

NNR (National Nature Reserve)

National Nature Reserves (NNRs) were established to protect some of the country’s most important habitats, species and geology. As vital places for nature conservation, NNRs are designated by Natural England and have legal protection. They serve as 'outdoor laboratories' and places of scientific research, but they're also places that people can visit and experience wildlife.

Discover some of the places we care for that are, or form part of, a National Nature Reserve.

Paris Agreement

This agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change, adopted at COP21 (see also COP) in Paris on 12 December 2015. It was ratified by 97 countries in November 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2C, preferably to 1.5C, compared to preindustrial levels

Peatland (habitat)

Healthy peatlands are wet and boggy. These waterlogged, low oxygen conditions prevent plant material from fully decomposing. As a result, ‘peat’ soil is formed by the partially decayed material, which builds up slowly. The soil has very few nutrients, but these specialist conditions nurture a range of important plants that have perfectly adapted to survive in this unique environment.

In the fight against climate change, keeping our peatlands healthy is vitally important. Peatlands store millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide that’s been absorbed over thousands of years. They also reduce the risk of flooding by soaking up water during periods of high rainfall and help reduce the risk of wildfires during heatwaves.

Damaged peat however, can release greenhouse gas emissions. Find out how we're preserving peatland.

Peat bog restoration / peatland restoration

Refers to the various ways of restoring damaged peat bogs to their original healthy state. Healthy, waterlogged peat bogs are important carbon sinks and the world’s peat bogs contain more stored carbon than all the world’s forests. But when damaged, they become a major source of global carbon emissions – so restoring peat bogs is critically important work. Find out how we’re restoring peatlands.

Productivity

Used in nature conservation to describe the number of young produced per breeding pair of a given species.

Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy created from sources that can be quickly replenished, not used up. Examples include moving water, wind, solar, biomass, and geothermal power (heat from within the earth).

Reducing emissions

Means making changes to how we live and work and avoiding waste, as well as improvements in technology so there is less carbon released into the atmosphere.

Reforestation

The process of establishing trees or woodland in an area where there was previous tree cover.

SAC (Special Area of Conservation)

SACs are protected areas in the UK, designated under the European Habitats Directive to conserve specific habitats and species of European importance. They aim to protect both land and marine environments, and the habitats and species within them. 

Sea level rise

Sea level rise refers, in this context, to the increase in the level of the world’s oceans due to global warming. The specific causes are melting ice and thermal expansion (the oceans absorb the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases, and warm water naturally expands).

Shrinking and swelling

Refers to the changes that take place in some soils due to changes in our climate, changes that can damage buildings and structures.

Certain clay soils (‘shrink-swell soils’) absorb water when wet, making them swell, and lose water as they dry, making them shrink.

Swelling soils during wet periods can cause walls to lift (known as ‘heave’), while dry weather and high temperatures make soils shrink and can cause subsidence.

Species reintroduction 

Returning a species to a location where it was once found in the wild but has since been lost, with the aim of creating a thriving population once again.

Single-use plastics 

A type of plastic that’s usually only used once before being thrown away.  Single-use plastic often makes its way into the environment where it can cause serious problems for wildlife. 12 million tonnes of plastic ends up in rivers and seas each year, where it can be mistaken for food or cause entanglement.

SNCI (Site of Nature Conservation Interest)

A designation given to sites of local nature conservation and geological value. They represent a legacy of good management and rely upon continued stewardship by landowners.

SSSI (Site Of Special Scientific Interest)

A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is a formal conservation designation in the UK, protecting areas of land or water that are particularly valuable for their wildlife, geology, or other natural features. SSSI status means the landowner or occupier has a duty to manage the site in a way that conserves its special features. 

Stored carbon

Carbon held within natural and built things – like trees, soil, water, wood or building materials – until it’s disturbed.

Sustainability

As a concept recognises that the environment is a limited resource. It defines those processes and actions that avoid using up the world’s finite natural reserves, to keep an ecological balance for the good of our planet and the future of all living things.

Sustainable grazing

An agricultural approach consisting of rotating livestock across different areas and allowing land to rest, this approach helps improve soil and support wildlife – making the landscape healthier over time.

Tipping point

Refers to that critical point when a significant change in the climate (or several small changes acting together) triggers an effect that can’t be stopped or reversed.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

The Convention on Climate Change sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change.

It recognises that the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The Convention enjoys near universal membership, with 189 countries having ratified.

Under the Convention, governments:

• gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions, national policies and best practices

• launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries

• cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change

The Convention entered into force on 21 March 1994.

Woodland (habitat)

TBC

Woodland management

TBC

Wetlands (habitat)

Wetlands are areas of the land that are covered by water for most of the time. They can be naturally occurring or man-made habitats covering extensive as well as much smaller areas.

Examples include: blanket bog, reedbeds and estuaries to wet meadow, wet woodland, streams and ponds.

Wildlife corridor

Wildlife corridors, also known as green corridors, are areas that provide a link between habitats, helping to prevent further fragmentation and isolation.

Over time, large, continuous areas of natural habitat have shrunk and become more disconnected.

Roads, developments and, in some cases, intensive farming practices, have all played their part in restricting the space different species need to survive and thrive. Wildlife relies on joined-up habitats to move easily between different areas to feed, breed and find shelter.

Our gardens and greenspaces act as wildlife corridors, providing stepping stones for nature across our cities, towns and villages. They're a lifeline for biodiversity, helping wildlife connect to the wider landscape. Find out how you can contribute to wildlife corridors and help nature on your doorstep.