Author: Hazel Draper

Rewilding Species of the Month: The Eurasian Beaver

1 September 2026

Beavers are something of a poster child when it comes to rewilding. They are an incredible example of a keystone species, a species which shapes and holds together its natural environment to allow other species to flourish. Just as the keystone of a bridge creates the bridge’s structure and integrity, so too do such species…
Rewilding Species of the Month: Wild Ponies

1 August 2026

The tale of horses and ponies in the UK to some extent embodies humanity’s relationship with the rest of the natural world. At times it is a relationship of deep love and respect. At others it is a tale of dominance, born of an idea that the rest of nature has purpose only in terms…
Dame Judi Dench-backed campaign welcomes £6m funding for woodland restoration

30 July 2026

The Oscar winning actor called the win “a wonderful moment for Britain’s ghost woods,” as campaigners call for new administration to honour commitments made under Starmer to restore ancient woodland Following mounting public pressure and calls for action from high-profile voices, including Dame Judi Dench, the Government announced in May major new funding to restore…
We Won the Ghost Woods campaign!

29 July 2026

We have some incredibly exciting news to share… 🎉WE WON THE GHOST WOODS CAMPAIGN! 🎉 Defra have been keeping it on the down low, but we’re so happy to confirm that they have now committed to yearly funding for restoring our precious ancient woodlands. In an email to Rebecca Smith MP, nature minister Mary Creagh…
Church of England votes to water down move to protect nature

14 July 2026

General Synod members today missed a landmark opportunity to protect nature, voting to dilute a motion that would have committed the Church Commissioners to protect nature on 30% of their land by 2030. The Church of England’s national assembly instead passed an amendment that highlighted their current environmental efforts and did not include any measurable…
Church to vote on 30×30 after landmark legal opinion clears path for nature targets

10 July 2026

New legal analysis rejects Church Commissioners argument that the Church of England cannot support global goal An independent legal opinion by leading ecclesiastical lawyer Mark Hill KC has found that the Church Commissioners face no legal barriers to adopting 30by30 nature restoration targets, directly challenging their claim that fiduciary duties prevent them from doing so. …
Rewilding Species of the Month: The Golden Eagle

3 July 2026

In 2016, the last Golden Eagle in England passed away. It was in reading Lee Schofield’s book ‘Wild Fell’ that I was first introduced to the plight of this incredible species, as well as the importance of rewilded landscapes to their survival.
Rewilding Species of the Month: Slugs

1 June 2026

When choosing a rewilding species of the month, many species will stand out as clear options: the trophic cascading of the majestic eagle, the engineering prowess of the brilliant beaver, the splendid carbon sequestering seagrass. Few would consider the much-maligned slug. Yet this is exactly why slugs need to be chosen. In rewilding the UK,…
Rewilding Species of the Month: Common Ivy

1 May 2026

Ivy is a controversial plant that gets a whole lot of people reaching for the secateurs to butcher the green monster. In the UK, where Common Ivy is a native and therefore non-invasive species, this attitude can be symbolic of humanity’s need for control over nature or it may be symbolic of our misunderstanding of…
Rewilding Species of the Month: The Mountain Hare

1 April 2026

Some species play a key role in rewilding: altering landscapes, restoring ecosystems and/or creating balance through predation. This month, however, we focus on a species for whom rewilding could be the key to their survival on our shores – the mountain hare. The mountain hare is the UK’s only native hare and has been here…