Natural England facts for kids
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1 October 2006 |
| Jurisdiction | England |
| Headquarters | York, England |
| Employees | 2,577 (2023) |
| Annual budget | £194 million (2015) |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent agency | Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
Natural England is an organization in the United Kingdom. It works with the government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Its main job is to protect and improve England's natural world. This includes the land, plants, animals, rivers, seas, rocks, and soil. Natural England also helps people enjoy, understand, and get to know nature better.
Natural England focuses on four main goals:
- A healthy natural environment for everyone.
- Helping people enjoy the natural world.
- Using nature's resources in a smart, lasting way.
- Making sure our environment is safe for the future.
Contents
What Natural England Does
Natural England is an independent public body. This means it works separately from the main government. However, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs can give it advice.
Protecting Special Places
Natural England has important powers to protect nature. It helps define ancient woodlands, which are very old forests. It also names special places like Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). These are areas with rare wildlife, plants, or geology.
Managing Nature Reserves
The organization also manages some national nature reserves. These are special areas set aside to protect wildlife and habitats. Natural England helps people access open countryside and other outdoor places. It also makes sure rules for these areas are followed.
Supporting Conservation Projects
Natural England gives out grants and manages schemes to help nature. These programs fund projects that protect and improve the environment. Examples include schemes for environmental stewardship and Countryside Stewardship.
How Natural England Started
Natural England was created on October 1, 2006. This happened because of a law called the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. It brought together parts of three older organizations:
- The Countryside Agency, which dealt with landscapes, access, and recreation.
- English Nature, which focused on wildlife and habitats.
- The Rural Development Service, which managed environmental land.
Natural England took over the responsibilities of these groups.
Working for a Greener Future
In 2009, Natural England joined the 10:10 project. This project aimed to reduce its own carbon footprint. This means they tried to lower the amount of greenhouse gases they produced.
Leaders at Natural England have also talked about important environmental topics. For example, in 2008, the Chairman warned about possible dangers of genetically modified crops. Later, another Chairman said that new technologies like GM crops could be good if tested safely.
Key Activities and Reports
Natural England carries out many activities to achieve its goals.
Reporting on England's Environment
In May 2008, Natural England published a report called State of the Natural Environment. This report collected facts and figures about England's environment. It helps environmental groups understand the current situation. It also helps them create new plans and policies.
This report works with others from different organizations:
- The Environment Agency provides environmental facts and figures.
- English Heritage reports on heritage counts.
- The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) reports on UK birds.
- Butterfly Conservation reports on Britain's butterflies.
Encouraging Outdoor Activity
Natural England has supported projects that encourage "green exercise." These projects help people be more active outdoors. They also help people feel more connected to their local green spaces.
Promoting Green Infrastructure
Natural England promotes "green infrastructure." This idea means planning natural spaces as part of new buildings and towns. It includes parks, green roofs, and natural waterways. Green infrastructure helps both people and the environment. It can be part of new developments or help improve older city areas.
Natural England works with groups like Neighbourhoods Green. This group helps social landlords and housing associations understand the importance of green spaces. They work to improve the design and management of outdoor areas in social housing.
Protecting Rivers from Pollution
In 2019 and 2020, Natural England found a problem with housing developments. They noticed that new homes could increase sewage going into some rivers. This sewage can add too many nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus, to the water. This is called nutrient pollution and can harm river ecosystems.
Important Legal Cases
Natural England has been involved in some important legal cases.
Coastal Erosion Case
In 2006, Natural England was challenged in court by Peter Boggis. He was a pensioner trying to protect his house from coastal erosion in Easton Bavents, Suffolk. Natural England argued that his protection efforts went against the scientific interests of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) there.
In 2009, a judge first ruled in favor of Mr. Boggis. The judge said his "human predicament" was more important than the SSSI status. However, Natural England won a later appeal in October 2009.
Wild Bird Control Licences
In April 2019, Natural England changed rules for controlling certain wild birds with firearms. They removed three general licences without much warning. These licences allowed people to control 16 bird species, including crows, gulls, and pigeons.
This decision came after an environmental group questioned the legality of the licences. Farmers were temporarily unable to control these birds without special permission. Natural England soon issued new licences for some birds, like carrion crows. Later, the Environment Secretary took over responsibility for these licences.
See also
- Ancient woodland
- England Coast Path
- National Character Area
- National nature reserves in England
- Sir Martin Doughty - first Chair of Natural England 2006-2009
- Tony Juniper - current Chair of Natural England
