GreyShuck

The population of the corncrake, one of Scotland's rarest birds, has seen a "promising" increase on the isle of Canna, the National Trust for Scotland says.

A survey on the small island in the Inner Hebrides found 12 to 14 calling mates compared to one or two in previous seasons.

Corncrakes have been in decline due to intensive agricultural methods and are one of 26 priority species listed by the trust.

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS) said the "buoyant" population can be attributed to new farming practices that support conservation.

Thousands of "giant spiders" which were released into the wild by a zoo are thriving in the wild and have had a record mating season, conservationists have said.

Chester Zoo released the spiders a decade ago as part of a project with the RSPB which aimed to save the species from extinction.

More than 10,000 breeding female Fen Raft spiders have been recorded this year, with zoo bosses hailing the breeding programme "a success".

A project to boost biodiversity in a former plantation woodland has seen conservationists take some unusual measures to liven up its “boring” trees.

Work is being under taken at Goblin Combe in North Somerset by the Avon and Somerset Wildlife Trust in a bid to boost the population of three species of bats and dormice.

The site was previously a timber plantation, meaning the trees “are quite young and quite dull” for wildlife, reserve manager Andy Jones said.

As well as tree-thinning to allow more light to the woodland floor, the team have been “veteranising” some young trees to give them the right features to attract bats, birds and insects.

Processes intended to decontaminate noxious liquid landfill waste before it enters rivers and sewers have been found to increase the levels of some of the worst toxic chemicals, a study has shown.

Landfills are well known to be a main source of PFAS forever chemicals – or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – but the new study shows that the treatment plants designed to clean up the liquid waste can instead boost the levels of banned PFAS such as PFOA and PFOS, in some cases by as much as 1,335%.

PFAS are a family of about 15,000 human-made chemicals with nonstick properties that are used in a wide range of consumer products and industrial processes. They can take thousands of years to break down in the environment and the handful that have been studied in detail have been found to be toxic, with PFOA and PFOS linked to cancers and other diseases. PFAS pollution is widespread, having been found in the remotest parts of the world, and it is thought every US citizen has it in their blood.

Amid the negative daily news, a beacon of hope shines through.

Transition Chichester have recently completed a film festival at Chichester Cinema and the documentary film, ‘Our Sea Forest’ filled me with hope. A packed auditorium were inspired during the 30-minute showing of the impact of increased trawling since the 1980s and encouraging revival of the marine ecosystems off the Sussex coast.

The two heroes of the show were the Sussex Wildlife Trust and the 73 year-old free diver Eric Smith, who have worked alongside the fisheries management authority and other charities and partners.

A rare fungus has been spotted in an East Anglian park for the first time by a Suffolk woman.

Favolaschia Calocera also known as Orange Ping Pong Bat Fungus, was discovered by fungi enthusiast Astrid Ivy Martin, 44, whilst walking through Orwell Park.

The fungus originates from Madagascar and has been spotted in the UK on a number of occasions since 2012 where it was thought to have made the 9,000 kilometre journey on imported wood.

A new species of moth has been seen on Alderney that wildlife experts believe is a first sighting for the Channel Islands.

The Robust Tabby moth (Pandesma robusta) was recorded in October by the head of Alderney Wildlife Trust's (AWT) moth monitoring team, Lou Collings.

The charity said the Robust Tabby, which is a member of the Erebidae family, had been found across a range extending from Asia through Africa to the Mediterranean, as far north as Spain and Portugal.

The AWT said the moth's appearance in Alderney was "intriguing" and could be the result of recent strong southerly winds blowing it off its usual course.

Chris Packham has criticised the Government for not mentioning climate or nature in its Budget during a protest march against water pollution in central London.

The naturalist and TV presenter said the omission was “scary” given the “parlous state” of the UK’s lakes, rivers and seas as he addressed demonstrators in London on Sunday.

An estimated 15,000 people joined a range of environmental groups, including River Action, Greenpeace, the Wildlife Trusts and British Rowing, on the March for Clean Water to demand tougher action on keeping the UK’s waterways clean.

A nature charity is searching for a team of conservationists to live and work on a remote island off the south coast of the Isle of Man.

Manx Wildlife Trust has had a bird observatory based on the Calf of Man since the 1950s, and over the years the team has grown from one to four.

The charity is looking for a bird warden, assistant bird warden, estate warden and assistant estate warden.

Calf Manager Lara Howe said the roles gave the charity "really important information about what is going on with our bird species" and allowed for long-term data collection.

Montane scrub provides protection from flooding, avalanches, rockfalls and landslides and supports a range of rare insects and scarce birds.

Overgrazing by deer and sheep on Scotland’s peaks since the 18th century contributed to a rapid decline in high-altitude woodland. By the 1990s, native montane willows were nearly extinct, with the largest remaining patch equivalent to the size of a tennis court.

Since then, almost 400,000 montane willows have been planted within 2,659 hectares managed for the restoration of mountain woodlands across Scotland, bringing the trees back from the brink of extinction.

Proposals to build a tidal barrage across the Mersey Estuary have sparked concerns for the myriad wildlife in the area.

The Mersey Barrage is a proposed tidal barrage across its namesake estuary, which is situated between Liverpool and the Wirral Peninsula. The River Mersey is considered to be a suitable source of marine renewable energy in the UK because of its strong current and tidal range of up to 10 m.

The idea of a barrage in the Mersey was first floated as long ago as 1984. This year, in March, the Mersey Tidal Power Project was launched by Liverpool City Region – and the plan was put to public consultation in September.

A conservation charity has called for cuts to nature and forestry services to be reversed when the Scottish Government gets an extra £3.4bn in funding following the Westminster Budget.

The Scottish Government will receive a £47.7bn provision in the next financial year, with Woodland Trust Scotland (WTS) saying a portion should be dedicated to restoring funding cut from the forestry sector.

In December 2023, the Scottish Government announced a £32m – or 41% – reduction in the money available to the Forestry Grant Scheme which is responsible for forestry activity across the commercial timber and nature conservation.