Biodiversity in the UK brings so many benefits – stunning landscapes, iconic wildlife, and clean air and water, not to mention the carbon sequestration capabilities of healthy habitats that help us to limit climate change. But the UK’s biodiversity is under immense pressure. In fact, 50% of the UK’s biodiversity has been lost. Consequently, the UK ranks in the bottom 10% of all countries when it comes to biodiversity intactness. The main factors contributing to this shocking decline, according the the latest State of Nature report published by a group of 50 conservation organisations in 2019, are intensive agricultural management, climate change, hydrological changes by humans, urbanisation, invasive non-native species, pests and pathogens, pollution, and woodland management.

Wetland habitats are also in considerably worse condition than they were at the beginning of last century. It’s estimated that up to 90% of lowland ponds were lost during the 20th century. 300,000 hectares of lowland wet grassland was lost between 1970 and 1985, and 1.5 million hectares of upland blanket peatland was drained post the second world war too. These habitats are particularly important for carbon storage, as well as providing a home for invertebrates that are vitally important for supporting the health of entire ecosystems.