• So what is happening with fracking?

    It's been a while since we posted anything about fracking so I thought you might appreciate an update on where things are at across the UK. It's a mixed bag, to be honest, with some countries doing better than others - as you will see. Scotland...
    • 20 May 2016
  • A year of #DefendNature: what next for the laws that protect our wildlife?

    It’s spring, and our nightingales have returned, swifts and swallows are back and breeding, and turtle doves and cuckoos can be heard calling on the breeze. Our migratory birds are coming back and they’ve crossed Europe from Africa to get...
    • 12 May 2016
  • What's happening at Lodge Hill?

    What’s happening at Lodge Hill? Last year, nightingales were added to the UK red list of endangered birds for the first time; after the last census revealed there are now fewer than 6,000 singing males in our country, a shocking 90% decline over...
    • 21 Apr 2016
  • Our MEPs voted to Defend Nature!

    Today the European Parliament joined EU Environment Ministers and over half a million of Europeans in speaking up to defend the Nature Directives, the vital laws that protect our nature. (A reminder of why the vote was important for the Nature Directives...
    • 3 Feb 2016
  • Our MEPs’ turn to defend our vital nature laws

    Since May last year, we’ve been campaigning to save the EU Nature Directives – vital laws that protect our most vulnerable wildlife and places – from being weakened as they undergo a review. Our campaigning is working: we’ve...
    • 14 Jan 2016
  • The people of Paris can’t march - but we will march for them

    As we approach the weekend of global climate marches, and the crucial climate conference that will take place afterwards, our thoughts are with all those affected by the horrific attacks in Paris.

    Whilst the huge march planned for Paris on Sunday 29 November will no longer go ahead, the French Government have committed to the conference itself proceeding. The marches planned for cities around the world, including London…

    • 24 Nov 2015
  • We asked Planning Ministers to step in on Lodge Hill - and they have!

    On Friday afternoon we received the wonderful news that the Government department in charge of housing have announced they will step in on Lodge Hill and that the development will go through a full public inquiry . Martin Harper, our Conservation Director...
    • 16 Feb 2015
  • Don't pull the plug on nature's home - help save Catfield Fen

    This week we are fortunate to have a guest blog from Richard Mason - Site Manager for the RSPB's Sutton Fen reserve. I say fortunate but, as you will read, the neighbouring Catfield Fen - which we manage on behalf of Butterfly Conservation - is under...

    • 19 Nov 2014
  • Do you love nature? Are you worried about the decline in our wildlife?

    I'm guessing that you probably do, given that you are reading this blog! We do too and we are worried - that is why we are holding a Rally for Nature in London on Tuesday 9 December and we would love you to join us. Sadly, despite the well-documented...
    • 10 Nov 2014
  • Now the dust from the marching feet has settled...

    I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since over 650,000 people took to the streets across the globe, calling on world leaders to make strong commitments to tackling climate change. What a great show of strength from the climate movement. 

    ...
    • 4 Oct 2014
  • Over 11,000 people have emailed Eric Pickles and there’s still 5 1/2 hours left

    An enormous and heart-felt thank you to all those individuals, organisations, community groups and local politicians who’ve stood up for Lodge Hill and its precious wildlife, and our protected areas all over England by asking Eric Pickles to call-in the...

    • 26 Sep 2014
  • Protecting wildlife at home and abroad

    Over the past two weeks we've been focussed on convincing Eric Pickles of the importance of England’s special sites for wildlife, and marching in our tens of thousands to show those leaders attending today’s UN Climate Summit that we want to see action...

    • 23 Sep 2014
  • Loves, Leaders and Action for Change

    I have a confession to make - when I first heard that I would be campaigning on climate issues I was apprehensive, not because I don’t believe it is important, but because it is so important - yet so difficult to communicate in any way that doesn...

    • 16 Sep 2014
  • A call to arms over the battle for Lodge Hill

    It’s featured here before and this time it’s an England-wide call to arms.

    Regular readers of our Conservation Director Martin Harper’s blog will know that over the past two years we’ve been fighting to prevent the development of up to 5...

    • 9 Sep 2014
  • No TEA today, thank you!

    Hopefully you will have already heard the great news that the Thames Estuary Airport proposal (a.k.a TEA!) has been thrown out by the Davies Commission review on airport capacity. Huge thanks go to all of you who have helped campaign on this issue over...

    • 3 Sep 2014
  • Can you join us on Hen Harrier Day?

    Those of you who follow the bird of prey online community and news will no doubt have picked up growing chatter about Hen Harrier Day , this Sunday 10 August , and we thought that those of you who haven't yet heard about it might be keen to find out...
    • 8 Aug 2014
  • Protecting nature from fracking

    It may have caught your attention on Monday that the UK Government has announced it's response to the consultation we asked our supporters to take part in earlier this year. Waking up on a Monday morning to hear that National Parks and other sensitive areas would not be fracked, I wanted to punch the air. Experience, however, has taught me not to get carried away at announcements like that until I know for sure the reality…
    • 31 Jul 2014
  • Strathy South: a victory - but it isn't over yet!

    We've had great news from Scotland for the Strathy South campaign to stop the inappropriate siting of a wind farm in the heart of the stunningly beautiful flow country, up in the far north of Scotland. The Highland council has voted (12 to 3) to object...

    • 26 Jun 2014
  • Birds need protection at home and abroad - tell your MEP candidates what you want them to do in Europe

    If you have been following Chris Packham’s endeavours in Malta to highlight the illegal spring hunting taking place you will have seen that migrant birds, in particular, illustrate the interconnectedness of our planet and that nature knows no borders. Chris has raised considerable awareness of the plight of many of our iconic species such as turtle doves, cuckoos, swallows and many birds of prey as they return to the…
    • 7 May 2014
  • Blisters and beer for a bird on the brink - the adventures of the Dove Steppers

    (One aspect of nature and conservation that never fails to blow me away is how far above and beyond people will go for a cause they feel passionately about. For me, the tale from this week's guest blogger, Jonny Rankin, is no exception. Jonny and...
    • 16 Apr 2014
  • Don't frack nature's home - the next action

    A few weeks ago I wrote on here about our current campaign calling on the UK Government to exclude protected areas, national parks and other special places from the upcoming licensing round for fracking for shale gas. The consultation has now closed but the...

    • 3 Apr 2014
  • The UK's only protected site for nightingales could be silenced by a huge housing development

    Regular readers of our Conservation Director Martin Harper’s blog may know that over the past two years we’ve been fighting to prevent the development of up to 5,000 houses on an ex-Military training ground at Lodge Hill, in Medway, Kent because of the...

    • 27 Mar 2014
  • Don't frack nature's home

    You wait months for a blog, and rather like buses, two come along at once! You may have heard our fracking report mentioned on the news today, we are also currently encouraging our supporters to write in to a Government consultation on this issue and I...

    • 13 Mar 2014
  • You voted for nature – what happens next?

    We ended 2013 with our big ‘Vote for Nature’ push to ensure that wildlife-friendly farming received the maximum amount of money allowed from the Government’s overall farming budget, and I hope you’ve had a chance to read our Conservation Director Martin Harper’s blog summarising the decisions made in each UK country just before Christmas last year. Jenna Hegarty also told us a bit more about what those decisions mean…
    • 10 Mar 2014
  • How would you spend £2bn on the English countryside?

    It must have been a whole three months since I was last updating you on our wildlife-friendly farming campaigning! It’s been a long haul, but we’re nearing the point at which the outcome for our countryside will become clear. You may have seen us elsewhere around the RSPB website asking you to Vote for Nature again. That's because around the UK, Governments are making key decisions on our farming for the next seven years…

    • 6 Nov 2013