Spindle
A small woodland and hedgerow tree, spindle is most striking in the autumn when clusters of bright pink-and-orange berries hang from its twigs, providing food for mice, birds and even Red Foxes.…
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Chwilio
My family
Rutland Water has been a part of Becky's life since she was 16. She has grown up with the staff and volunteers as her extended family and closest friends. At the age of 16, she met her…
Heath bumblebee
The heath bumblebee is not only found on heathland, but also in gardens and parks. It nests in small colonies of less than 100 workers in all kinds of spots, such as old birds' nests, mossy…
Shaggy inkcap
As its name suggests, the shaggy inkcap, or 'lawyer's wig', has a woolly, scaly surface to its bell-shaped toadstools. It is very common and can be seen at the road side, in…
Land caddis
The land caddis is the only caddisfly in the UK to spend its entire time on land, with no stage in water. Look in oak leaf litter over winter to see the grainy cases of the larvae, in which they…
From Restoration to Ruin: A Close Call on Overton Cliff
The fire is believed to have been started by the careless disposal of a barbecue. Approximately one acre of coastal heath and limestone grassland vegetation was destroyed in the blaze. The full…
Mitigation and Compensation
When wildlife could be harmed by development, local planning authorities should follow a step-wise approach to reduce that harm, known as the ‘mitigation hierarchy’. This is required in National Planning Policy.
Small tortoiseshell
The pretty small tortoiseshell is a familiar garden visitor that can be seen feeding on flowers all year-round during warm spells. Overwintering adults may find resting spots in sheds, garages or…
Media Requests and Filming on Nature Reserves
From prime-time UK documentaries, international feature films, professional photography, and TV dramas, our nature reserves have been used as locations by media from around the world. The nature of requests vary widely and it helps us to process any filming requests by completing our Media Enquiry Form.
Red squirrels
There are two species of squirrel in the UK; red squirrels and grey squirrels. Red squirrels are our native species and have lived in the UK for around 10,000 years, Grey squirrels were introduced to the UK from North America by the Victorians in the 1800s, the first record of them escaping and establishing a wild population is 1876.
My regeneration
30 years ago, if Jeremy had fallen in the river then he’d have been more worried about being poisoned than drowned! A 1980s trawl survey found just one fish in the Billingham reach of the Tees,…
Decisions and Appeals
A planning application can be decided by the case officer or by the planning committee. Usually, wildlife concerns are addressed by conditions. These can relate to construction methods, mitigation and compensation and the aftercare and management of the site.