From orchids and dormice to salmon and voles, England's plants and animals are reaping the rewards of a multimillion-pound investment in their conservation, the United Kingdom's Natural England has shared.
A red-billed chough chick hatched in the wild in Kent for the first time in 200 years. The large marsh grasshopper is back in the Norfolk Broads after 85 years away. The North Yorkshire Moors have seen the first successful breeding of black grouse since the 1840s.
That's all thanks to Natural England's Species Recovery Programme, which pumped £13 million — or about $17.3 million USD — into preserving England's wildlife between August 2023 and March 2025 through its Capital Grants Scheme. Its efforts include captive breeding, habitat creation, and translocation of plants and animals. This work has resulted in the recovery of 150 species, many of which were close to extinction.
Humans shared in the success. More than 80,000 people had the opportunity to come closer to nature by participating in the project. Studies have shown that spending time outside — from working in a garden to strolling through a park — can boost people's mood and lower the risk of certain diseases.
Coupled with the boost that the program offered to the local economy, the nearly 100,000 hours of conservation work likely translated into immeasurable health benefits for Brits.
"A feeling of real engagement with an amazing natural environment has been a huge psychological boost for me, especially after the isolation of COVID and only recently moving to the area," one volunteer with the White Cliffs and White Chalk National Trust said, per Natural England.
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Humans will also benefit from the program in the long term as it boosts biodiversity, which is essential for securing food and medicine.
Volunteers and program officials alike praised the efforts.
"The project has brought a tremendous boost for four nationally threatened species in Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull," Gina Rowe, Landscape Recovery Development Manager at Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, said, referring to the water vole, the willow tit, the bittern, and the white-clawed crayfish, which are all breeding in newly created habitats.
"We will continue the work and monitoring to ensure there is a legacy, and real gains for the four species involved and the habitats they need," Rowe added.
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