ith some spectacular recent autumn colours, from fruit and fungi to falling leaves, it’s a season of change. And that includes in Durham Wildlife Trust, where we are sorry to say goodbye to Sarah Lister after six years as Chair of Trustees. At the Trust’s AGM in October, Sarah talked a bit about her experience over what was a period of huge change. For the Trust, that included water voles, little terns, Cuthbert’s Moor and the Great North Fen. Sarah can be proud of her role in strengthening the finances of the Trust, and its steady growth in membership and volunteer activities over those years.
The work of the Wildlife Trusts has never been more important in helping to reverse the decline in Britain’s wildlife and wild places, and I’m honoured to take over from Sarah. I’m excited to be working with the wonderful staff and volunteers to make our part of the North East ever better for nature.
So, welcome to this edition of Wildlife Durham. We will get a view of the wildlife highlights on our reserves in the winter season, and also the brilliant ‘Nature Towns and Cities’ project to connect people with green spaces in Sunderland. We have a feature about the impact climate change is having on our habitats and species – while also remembering the key role that nature restoration plays in climate resilience. Look out for the details of a festive fundraising campaign, and enjoy this season’s wildlife!
Bill Oxbury Chair of Trustees, Durham Wildlife Trust
Wild work days
Ateam from Voicentric recently visited Rainton Meadows for a Wild Work and Wellbeing Day, taking part in traditional meadow management and nest box building. Through learning the heritage skill of scything, the team helped preserve wildflower diversity on the reserve. Annual meadow cuts promote a diverse range of plants, which in turn provide food and shelter for wildlife, helping pollinators thrive and maintain the meadows. Indoors, the team got creative and helped to build nest boxes to support local wildlife.
Wild Work Days with Durham Wildlife Trust offer the chance to step out of the office and take meaningful action for nature, as well as developing new skills and building team spirit. Learn more online: www.durhamwt.com/wild-work-days
More than £150 was raised for our work at Low Barns, thanks to a fundraising event held by the village choir at nearby Witton-le-Wear. The concert, held in July, was themed around the topic of caring for the environment. Thank you to all involved.
Find out how you can fundraise for us: www.durhamwt.com/fundraise
Signs of success at James Steel Park
Members of Washington Wildlife Group recently celebrated completion of a new nature trail that they have created at James Steel Park, supported by funding from Northumbrian Water’s Bluespaces programme. Help with submitting their funding application came from Durham Wildlife Trust’s Nextdoor Nature project. Sunderland City Council, the park owners, were fully supportive of the Wildlife Group’s work to create a circular waymarked trail around Pattinson South Pond (also known as Corgi Pond). An interpretation panel at the park entrance, and strategically positioned waymarkers along the route, allow visitors to learn about the wildlife they might see on different sections of the trail. The group has improved paths and the Council has created a series of cut paths through the rough grassland areas, creating an easily accessible trail. Nest boxes have been put up to attract a variety of birds, and bat roosting boxes will soon be added, reflecting the importance of the site for bats.
Washington Wildlife Group has been recording the wildlife in the park, and other areas, for many years. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, more people will now be able to enjoy the local wildlife.
Scything at Rainton Meadows
Village choir concert
James Steel Park
Great British
Beach Clean 2025
This September, more than 100 volunteers joined Durham Wildlife Trust and the Heritage Coast Partnership for the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean. Over seven days, seven beach cleans removed 134 bags of litter – from bottles and cans to unusual finds including Monopoly houses and a lawnmower!
Alongside the cleans, six litter surveys recorded every item across a 100m stretch of each beach. This valuable data helps to build a clearer picture of the source of litter on our beaches and how that can be addressed. Across all surveys, plastic dominated, making up 56%-89% of litter recorded. Much of the litter was estimated to be from public littering and fishing activity.
Litter isn’t just unsightly, it threatens marine life, ecosystems and human health, too. Every piece of litter removed, and every survey completed, brings us one step closer to healthier oceans. A huge thank you to everyone who took part!
Trust’s new Head of Nature Recovery takes up role
Barbara Hooper joined Durham Wildlife Trust in September, taking on the role of Head of Nature Recovery. Barbara will play a pivotal role in delivering nature’s recovery, from Tees to Tyne.
Barbara said: “I am delighted to join a fantastic team who are passionate about restoring nature and protecting wildlife. Over the past few months, I have been spending time across our reserves, getting to know the places, people and projects that make the Trust so special. I look forward to supporting the Trust’s vision, helping to secure and protect more space for nature across the region.”
Mark Dinning has moved into a new role as Ecology Manager, and his work as Head of Conservation has provided the foundation for the work Barbara will be leading over the coming years.
Barbara Hooper Beach litter
Beach clean at Seaham Hall Beach
Project updates
Stronger Shores
Stronger Shores has been working hard this year, installing five seaweed cultivation units off the coast of Seaham and mapping a newly discovered area of seagrass near Amble in Northumberland. The team has also been testing conditions at three sites along the rivers Aln, Wansbeck, and Don, where seagrass will soon be planted for our small-scale seagrass trials!
Project partners, Tees Rivers Trust, has been growing seagrass plants from Lindisfarne on behalf of Stronger Shores, and planting out at our three sites should begin soon. Monthly monitoring of the seagrass, sediment, and water conditions will inform the team as to the viability of sites with similar environmental conditions, to inform plans for seagrass reintroduction in the future.
After deployment in February, the Stronger Shores team has been busy monitoring the growth of Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima) on the units deployed off Seaham. The kelp has been growing fantastically and other species are using the newly-formed habitat. Sensors are monitoring water conditions in the area and visual inspections are being done using drop-cams to get some exciting underwater footage of the kelp and its inhabitants.
Coastal Grasslands Reconnected
The Species Survival Fund’s Coastal Grasslands Reconnected project, delivered by Durham Wildlife Trust in partnership with Durham County Council and the National Trust, is helping people connect with, and protect, Durham’s coastal wildlife. Since April, our Coastal Engagement Officer, Dorinda Kealoha, has delivered school workshops, public wildlife walks, and training in coastal bird and vegetation surveys, while involving youth and community groups in practical conservation work.
So far, more than 1,200 people have taken part — 300 at public events; 483 school children in workshops and walks; 257 volunteers in hands-on conservation; and 199 in wildlife monitoring surveys.
Can you help record coastal wildlife?
If you visit the coast between Seaham and Blackhall Rocks, please use the free iNaturalist app to photograph and record the plants, insects, fungi and animals you see. Join the Coastal Grasslands Reconnected project on iNaturalist to share your sightings and explore what’s been recorded so far.
Links with Nature
inks with Nature is more than halfway through and the project team, along with fantastic volunteers, has been making a difference by restoring nature and building connections with residents. At Copt Hill, calcareous grasslands have been rejuvenated by dedicated volunteers and contractors, working all winter to remove large areas of hawthorn and bramble scrub. Cattle have been doing their bit to graze off ruderal plants like rose bay willow herb. In July, volunteers surveyed the grassland and found more than one hundred species; including orchids, butterflies, and many different wildflowers.
Work underway on new land at Rainton Meadows
onservation work on the new land at Rainton Meadows is now underway. Livestock fencing is in place so that cattle and sheep can now graze the fields, volunteers have planted hedging along the border, a new path to give pedestrian access has been created, and a wildlife viewing screen has been installed. Thank you once again to everyone who supported the fundraising campaign.
LPeople from the neighbouring Houghton Racecourse Community Centre were invited to Copt Hill to discover more about this fantastic site. Activities included wildflower ID and wreath-making to support children’s holiday activities, delivering orienteering nature walks, minibeast hunts and learning about pollinators.
CCoastal bats of Durham: nightlife at Blackhall Rocks
As twilight fell over Durham’s rugged coast, the cliffs of Blackhall Rocks came alive with the flutter of wings. During two public bat walks in September and October – part of the Species Survival Fund’s Coastal Grasslands Reconnected project – participants were treated to a rare glimpse of coastal bat activity. Five species were recorded: the noctule (Nyctalus noctula), common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), soprano pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus), Nathusius’ pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii), and a Myotis species that eluded exact identification. Bats are not often recorded along the Durham coast, as most prefer the wooded valleys, ponds and rivers further inland. The presence of these species highlights the value of restored coastal habitats. Particularly remarkable was the Nathusius’ pipistrelle, a rare bat in the UK and a long-distance migrant capable of journeys exceeding 1,500 miles. This species is known to cross to the UK’s milder shores in the autumn before returning to Europe in spring.
Surveying at Copt Hill
Common pipistrelle bat
Family event at Copt Hill
Upcoming events
Please book our events online at www.durhamwt.com/events or call 0191 584 3112. The events listed below are for supporters and guests and free to attend unless otherwise stated.
Stronger Shores Talk Series
– taking place throughout January and February 2026
Take a dive into the fascinating underwater world around our coasts in next year’s Stronger Shores talk series. Attend from the comfort of your own home and learn about the often little-known ecosystems around the North East coastline. Talk topics will include seagrass, kelp and oysters – and more!
Volunteering open day
Saturday 21st February
As we step into 2026, discover how you can take action for nature and start your volunteering journey with Durham Wildlife Trust. Join us at Rainton Meadows for our drop-in Volunteer Open Day, to explore our range of volunteering opportunities across the Trust, and meet the team.
Family tree planting
Saturday
7th March
Join our Reserves Officer to support the ongoing restoration of Milkwellburn Wood. Learn how the team at Durham Wildlife Trust manages reserves for wildlife, and gain hands-on experience of tree planting. No prior experience needed.
Members’ Survey
Durham Wildlife Trust is a grass-roots organisation founded by people who cared about the natural world and wanted to see wildlife thrive. Today, wildlife needs our support more than ever, and to help provide that support the Trust needs to grow its membership.
We’d love to hear from our existing members about what you value and what the Trust can do better. That information will help us reach more people and build support for nature’s recovery.
Please spare a couple of minutes to take part in our survey and share your views. Thank you.
To take part in the survey please visit: www.durhamwt.com/members-survey
Photo: Richard Lilley
SCAN ME
Come rain or shine: finding hope in a changing climate
The summer of 2025 will, for many, conjure up the heady aroma of sizzling barbeques and ice creams on the beach. With abundant sunshine and very little rain, we almost got used to leaving our brollies at home. But, while the weather may have been perfect to boost the sales of Durham Wildlife Trust charcoal, it was not so great for our reserves.
In contrast, exceptionally wet weather was the story of 2024. Climate observations from the Met Office1 show that the UK’s weather is changing steadily, and as records continue to be broken, weather previously thought of as ‘extreme’ has now become ‘normal’. While unusual or unseasonal weather can be difficult for us, the impact on wildlife can be far worse. Not only can habitats be destroyed or foraging become difficult, but many species rely on natural cues to time behaviours such as breeding or migration. For example, our ever-popular blue tit times its egg-laying so that chicks are hatching just as caterpillars are at their most abundant. But as our weather becomes more erratic, things can get misaligned, leading to reduced chick survival rates.
By Barbara Hooper Head of Nature Recovery
In their recently published update on climate change2, the Wildlife Trusts highlighted the challenges facing our wildlife, with habitats increasingly exposed to flooding, drought, extreme heat and fire. It makes grim reading at times: a ‘Butterfly Emergency’ was declared last year after the lowest numbers on record were recorded during the summer count led by Butterfly Conservation; the driest spring on record this year led to ponds drying up earlier than normal, impacting insect breeding, and in some areas potentially having a knock-on effect for the swallows and swifts; while 2025 surpassed the UK’s annual record for wildfires.
Lapwing
by Paul Cleasby
Low water level on Pond 2 at Rainton Meadows
We are feeling the impact at Durham Wildlife Trust sites too. From Tees to Tyne, we have some truly unique habitats, but many are showing signs that the changing weather and extreme events are having an effect. With the lack of rainfall this year, wetlands have been one of the most obviously affected habitats, with low water levels and ponds drying out across many sites. For example, at Rainton Meadows pond levels have been extremely low, while the Gateshead sites of Lamesley Pastures, Shibdon Meadow, and Shibdon Pond have had very limited water on site, with some of the shallower scrapes drying out completely. With extended periods of drought, marginal vegetation also starts to encroach, trapping more silt and leading to further drying out of habitats.
Our wetlands are hugely important for many invertebrates and amphibians. While occasional drying out of ponds can help remove the predators of those species – such as fish – if ponds dry up more frequently, the shorter or lost breeding seasons have longer term impacts, and can lead to local extinctions of amphibian and invertebrate populations.
The high temperatures and lack of rain in 2025 have had an impact on our grasslands too. A number of our sites are managed with the help of our own wonderful Exmoor ponies, as well as cattle and sheep provided by graziers. With their selective grazing, along with carefully-timed grazing regimes, these animals help to maintain varied and species-rich pastures, and create habitat niches for birds and insects. However, the animals need access to drinking water. Not all sites have mains piped water, and instead we rely on naturally occurring water sources. As these have dried up in some locations, livestock has had to be removed, or grazing delayed and as a result, vegetation hasn’t been controlled, allowing more competitive species to establish. We were hugely grateful to the hard-working volunteers and staff at Addison and Hedgefield, who ferried in water to allow the ponies to carry out their important grazing duty for a little longer. However, across many sites, the four-legged graziers had to be replaced by the two-legged rangers with machines, drawing on staff time and resources.
The wet weather of previous years has proved equally problematic for grazing on our sites. Waterlogged land is inaccessible to vehicles, so livestock can’t be moved on or off site, and the ground can become ‘poached’ (heavily trampled and turned to mud) leading to the loss of the covering vegetation and soil compaction. This allows undesirable plant species to establish themselves and out-compete the wildflower and grass species we are trying to favour.
Some of our most valued habitats and species are being similarly affected. Cuthbert’s Moor, in the North Pennines, is part of the Teesdale Allotments Site of Special Scientific Interest – an area designated for its importance for breeding waders, including lapwing, curlew and golden plover. Repeat hot, dry summers reduce the abundance of key invertebrate prey, such as tipulids (crane flies) that are vital for feeding wader chicks. Alongside our partners in the North Pennines National Landscape, we have been busy grip blocking (reducing drainage channels or ‘grips’) and creating additional scrapes to try to retain more water on the surface. This creates better conditions for invertebrate species that many of the nationally significant breeding bird populations of the North Pennines rely on and also ensures the birds have access to drinking water.
Wildlife Durham
Brown argus butterfly
by Vaughn Matthews
Cuthbert’s Moor creating dams to stop water running down where the peat has eroded (Photo: Sian Whitehead)
As temperatures have increased, we are also seeing changes in distribution, with some southern species moving northwards. This is not always good news for their northern cousins. For example, we are now seeing the brown argus butterfly in Durham. Previously separated geographically from the rarer Northern brown argus, there are now records of the two species inter-breeding and producing hybrid offspring. Climate change is beginning to undo 50 years of effort by the Trust, and others, to protect Northern brown argus populations through habitat conservation.
Warmer seasonal temperatures can have other devastating impacts on species, by helping the spread of parasites or infections that were previously held in check by colder winters. Common frog populations are already suffering because of ranavirus, but higher temperatures favour virus replication and can place greater physiological stress on frogs, reducing the effectiveness of their immune system. The result is greater mortality due to ranavirus and localised population crashes.
Of course, along with losers, there are always some winners. While species which show negative responses to temperature have tended to decline, those showing mixed or positive responses to temperature have tended to have stable or increasing populations.
The Durham Wildlife Trust area sits on the boundary between species with a northern and southern distribution in the UK. As a result, over the last few decades the Durham Wildlife Trust area has seen the arrival of several species with a ‘southern’ distribution. Speckled wood is now one of our more frequently spotted butterflies, but 20 years ago it was a rare visitor. Cetti’s warbler has had a similar rapid northwards range expansion, and its explosive song could be heard at Joe’s Pond this spring as the site hosted its first breeding pair. The small red-eyed damselfly, which normally breeds further south, was first recorded at Brasside Pond near Durham in 2022, and was recorded at a further 15 sites across the region in 2024.
There is no doubt that the challenges facing our sites and species, due to our changing climate, are severe, but there is always hope. Along with all the hugely talented and knowledgeable people and volunteers across the Wildlife Trusts, we are working hard to learn, adapt, and continue to make the biggest possible difference. We are reviewing the management of those reserves most affected, considering their habitat and species composition, and recognising that there may be hard choices to be made. Do we have to accept that some sites will no longer look as they did in the past, and management changes are needed so that they are more resilient in the future?
Dried out scrape at Rainton Meadows
At the same time, we are exploring creative solutions. For example, at Shibdon Pond we are working with Gateshead Council to trial whether groundwater drawn from mine workings to provide heat for council buildings can then be discharged to the pond to maintain water levels. While this may seem a win-win solution for the environment – addressing climate change and benefitting nature – it is still in the testing phase and care needs to be taken to ensure there are no adverse impacts on water quality in Shibdon Pond.
Nature can also help reduce the impacts of climate change and extreme weather. We are an active partner with the North East Community Forest, planting trees to absorb carbon and help improve local air quality. Our work on Stronger Shores (www.strongershores.com) is helping to research the role of kelp forests, sea grass meadows, and oyster reefs, to protect coastal communities from flooding and coastal erosion. Our exciting new initiative at the Great North Fen, in the catchment of the River Skerne, is restoring wetlands to help naturally control water flows.
The connectivity of the landscape also influences the impact of extreme weather on wildlife. Fragmented habitats are more vulnerable to local extinctions, with species unable to migrate if the habitat becomes temporarily unsuitable. One of our key priorities is to enhance wildlife corridors, and we are actively working with landowners, local authorities and farmers to advise on land management which is both climate-resilient and nature-friendly. For example, in partnership with Northumbrian Water, the Heart of Durham project is restoring and recreating habitats around the fringe of the North Pennines.
As temperatures start to soar, the cooling effect of parks and green spaces within urban areas has never been more important. At the same time, their ability to absorb and retain water can help prevent flash flooding. We are delighted to be working with Sunderland City Council and the Wear Rivers Trust on Links with Nature, to revitalise parks and waterways and bring those benefits to local people. This community-focused initiative, and Sunderland City Council’s Nature Towns and Cities initiative which will be underway soon, not only help the city become more climate resilient, but they also improve public green spaces for wildlife and people.
There is no doubt of the scale and urgency of the work required to combat and reverse the impacts of our changing climate. It can feel overwhelming at times, but Durham Wildlife Trust is continuing to work hard, with the help and support of members, volunteers, communities and partners, to promote and deliver action from the Tees to the Tyne. Together, we really can make a positive difference for wildlife, climate and future generations.
What you can do
Save water
Turn off the tap while brushing teeth; swap baths for short showers; collect rainwater for plants; water in the early morning or evening; reuse cooking water in your garden.
Save energy
Leave the car at home (walk, bus, bike instead); use timers on switches; turn the thermostat down; switch off standby; only boil the water you need.
Garden in a wildlife-friendly way
Leave leaf litter in piles; add a water source; add a hedgehog highway fence gap; plant native pollinators; let the lawn grow wild.
Be a citizen scientist
Log your wildlife sightings on i-record; helping build a national picture of the state of nature. www.irecord.org.uk
Campaign for wildlife
Let your MP know that nature matters to you: send a postcard asking them to protect wildlife and nature-rich places near you. It only takes a minute to make your voice heard: wtru.st/planning-postcard
Speckled wood butterfly
by John Stephenson
Exmoor ponies at Addison & Hedgefield by Ruby Merriman
What to see in winter
The changing seasons are always bittersweet. While it is sad to say farewell to our summer migrants, it is equally wonderful to hear the first skeins of geese arrive overhead. Across our reserves, we welcome species from the north, coming to benefit from our milder winters. Visitors may include waders and wildfowl such as goldeneye, pink-footed geese, and whooper swan. Closer to home, certain species migrate within the UK. Golden plover come down from their upland breeding grounds to lower altitudes, while resident shoveler ducks head south to be replaced by their counterparts from the continent.
These birds often gather in high numbers to roost and feed, finding safety in numbers while they access more food and avoid the harsher conditions further north. Visit our wetland reserves at Rainton Meadows, Low Barns, Shibdon Pond, and Bishop’s Fen to enjoy these special winter spectacles.
Our fields, woodlands and hedgerows also provide valuable winter food and shelter, and many of our reserves are showing a heavy crop of berries and fruit this year. Berries are a key attraction for fieldfares and redwings coming over from Scandinavia, so with the heavy crop this year, it is possible we may see more than usual. If we are lucky, we may even see flocks of waxwings arrive – one of our most beautiful winter visitors.
By Michael Andrews
Northern Reserves Officer
With deciduous trees having lost their leaves, now is the perfect time to see the gnarled structures of veteran hazel and ash at Edmondsley Woods, as well as a great view of yews at Hawthorn Dene – a rare native population in this setting and area. As winter progresses, keep your eyes peeled for the tiny female flowers of hazel. Look closely – they are hard to spot, but incredibly beautiful. They consist of tiny, pink-red tendrils emerging above the dangling yellow male catkins.
While you are peering closely at hazel, it is worth staying on the lookout for any other flowering plants through winter. Not all wait until the spring to put on their display, and a surprising number can be found in the winter. Red campion can still be in flower in December, and spear thistle is often showing off its fat purple flowers and spiky leaves late in the year.
While you are looking, why not take the opportunity to get out onto one of our reserves this New Year, and carry out the New Year Plant Hunt. Much more fun than a New Year’s Resolution – and no guilt attached as it is all over within four days!
The Hunt takes place from January 1st to 4th, 2026 and is organised by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. A search for any plant in flower at this time has been carried out since 2014 by a growing army of citizen scientists. A total of 224 species were seen in flower in the first hunt, with dandelion, daisy and groundsel the most frequently recorded. Ten years later, the highest combined count has been 710 species.
Analysis of the New Year Plant Hunt data suggests plants are responding to changing weather patterns with more flowers being recorded during the past decade, as we are experiencing autumns and winters with warmer temperatures and fewer frosts.
We’d love to hear about your winter sightings, helping us know what is on our reserves, and how they are responding to a changing climate. You can do this by visiting irecord.org.uk, creating an account for yourself and searching for ‘Durham Wildlife Trust’ under ‘all activities’. Fancy a new year plant hunt? Find one near you at www.bsbi.org/new-year-plant-hunt or check out our events page.
Hazel flowers by Vaughn Matthews
Waxwings at Rainton Meadows
Photo: Chris Cummings
Nature Towns and Cities
By Emily Routledge Head of Development and Communications
Sunderland City Council is one of the first 19 places to receive funding through the Nature Towns and Cities programme, selecting Durham Wildlife Trust as a key partner.
Nature Towns and Cities is a national initiative which seeks to enable more people to experience nature in their daily lives, particularly in those places and communities currently lacking access to quality green space.
Announced by Natural England, National Trust, and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Nature Towns and Cities aims to help at least 100 places across the UK to become greener, healthier, happier places for people to live and work, over the next ten years.
Sunderland’s project will bring organisations across the city together to better connect residents with local green spaces. The funding secured will also help communities to improve their health and wellbeing by making it easier to access nature.
There is a focus on linking community greenspaces, parks, transport routes, and the city’s coastline and riverbanks, upskilling people and creating a sense of pride in the local environment. The project will bring together organisations citywide to work in partnership to increase understanding of the benefits of the natural environment through volunteering opportunities, outdoor activities, training, and nature-based social prescribing.
The project builds on the success of the Links with Nature project, where Durham Wildlife Trust, along with Sunderland City Council and Wear Rivers Trust, have improved important green and blue spaces in the Coalfield Area of Sunderland through community building, volunteering, and social prescribing activities. Nature Towns and Cities will be a citywide approach, and represents Sunderland City Council’s ambition for a Sunderland City of Nature:
Sunderland is striving to be a nature-friendly, climate-resilient city in which communities work together to benefit both nature and their own wellbeing, creating a greener, sustainable, and healthier city for all.
A Nature Towns and Cities Project Lead has been appointed by Sunderland City Council, and Durham Wildlife Trust will host two Project Officers who will be in post early in 2026.
If you would like more information on the project as it develops, please email mail@durhamwt.co.uk
Links with Nature event at Copt Hill
After studying zoology and mycology, Ellen Winter now monitors nature reserve health at Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.
How fungi shape our world
Editor: Joanna Foat
Designer: Ben Cook
If all fungi vanished overnight, first you might notice a shortage of tea, coffee, chocolate, wine or simply mushrooms on toast! Some would be grateful for no athlete’s foot or dry rot, but fungi themselves are largely invisible. Over 15,000 species of fungi have been recorded in the UK. But less than a third are visible to the naked eye. We see products and effects, but we rarely notice the living beast.
The mushrooms and toadstools we see are fruitbodies, like apples. We rarely see the body of the fungus – the ‘apple’ tree. Years past, my walk to primary school took me along suburban verges lavished with eye-catching mushrooms. I was fascinated by bright white lawyers’ wigs, spongy yellow boletes bruising blue when poked and translucent parasols appearing one day and gone the next, but fungi themselves hide all around –and inside – us!
Closer to humans than plants
One reason fungi are largely invisible to us is the way they eat. Fungal structure consists of mycelium, a microscopic tangle of thread-like hyphae, or single celled fungi like yeasts. Both live and feed inside material such as soil, wood, intestinal tract or petrol. Basically, anywhere they can get carbohydrates. Like animals, fungi absorb food from their environment, but animals digest and absorb nutrients internally, while fungi digest and absorb their food externally.
Only in 1969 were Fungi confirmed as separate from Plants – despite fungi being more closely related to animals. Fungi grow their structure from material more like our fingernails than plant cellulose.
Fungi change the world
More recently, we’ve started to unravel the unseen ways that fungi modify the world. Fungi influence ecosystems through decomposition and soil structure. One recently recognised influence is the mutually beneficial relationship between plant roots and soil fungi.
Closer than hand in glove, mycorrhizal partnerships are so globally vital that if all fungi vanished overnight, 80% of plant species would immediately struggle to survive. These plants trade sugars from photosynthesis for water and essential minerals provided by soil fungal partners.
The increased harvesting power provided by mycorrhizal fungi helps crops and wild plants cope with extreme conditions, such as this year’s drought. Ongoing research suggests plants can also biochemically communicate threats such as insect attacks to surrounding plants purely via soil fungal networks –sometimes called the ‘wood wide web’.
The unseen cost Being invisible comes at a cost. While 95% of approximately 6,640 global mammal species have been documented, only about 6.3% of an estimated 2.5 million fungal species have been named. And people don’t love and protect what they don’t know.
Even in the UK, one of the ecologically best documented countries in the world, fungi are under-recorded, and mushrooms are often casually picked or destroyed – something we’ve mostly learnt not to do with wildflowers.
The fungal kingdom is so understudied that UK firsts still turn up annually and keen novices can record rarities. Beginners are encouraged and there’s always something new, even for experts. Fruitbodies are not just found in autumn and winter, but can be found all yearround. So, if you spot an interesting mushroom or you’d like to learn from others, contact your Wildlife Trust who should be able to point you towards your local fungus group.
Check out our events listing for any upcoming fungi-themed activities coming up near you: wildlifetrusts.org/events
6 places to see starling murmurations
During the winter months, many people travel to special Wildlife Trust nature reserves up and down the country an hour before dusk to witness one of nature’s greatest shows – the starling murmuration.
To begin with fast-moving flocks of starlings arrive from all directions, like a blur in the skies above. Onlookers await in silent anticipation, as breathtaking numbers of starlings increase from groups of hundreds to thousands.
When tens of thousands and upwards have arrived, the murmuration performance begins. The throng of starlings become an awesome spectacle of black swirling shapes as they tumble and swoop in the sky in a synchronised aerial display. The mass of birds twist, turn and soar in mesmerising geometric patterns.
Then on the minute of dusk, the starlings descend in their thousands like a waterfall of birds. They pour out of the sky onto roost sites in trees, reedbeds and nature reserves and it's all over. The lucky spectators will never forget this fleeting moment of incredible beauty and will go home very happy indeed. Here are six places to see starling murmurations.
See the spectacle for yourself
1 East Chevington, Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Flocks of starling swirl in wave-like patterns in their fabulous murmuration attracting hundreds of visitors each year. Terns, water rails and snipe, skylark and stonechat can also be seen, while large flocks of pink-footed geese fly overhead.
Where: Druridge Bay, NE61 5BG
2 Brockholes nature reserve, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside
Head to the floating Visitor Village in November and December to witness the swirling and swooping murmuration that turns the sky above the lakes into a starling spectacle. Up to 100,000 birds gather; so many that you can hear their wings beating.
Where: Preston, PR5 0AG
3 Ripon City Wetlands, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Ripon City Wetlands nature reserve is famous for its incredible twisting waves of starling murmuration. Best viewed from the path by the central reedbed, watch the cloud of starlings grow as more join – and then descend in a rush of wingbeats and chattering into the reedbed below.
Where: Ripon Racecourse, HG4 1UG
4 Teifi Marshes, The Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales
The stunning Teifi Marshes is one of the best wetland sites in Wales and a great place to experience the sights and sounds of a starling spectacle. Head to a hide or watch from the board walk as thousands of starlings perform a glorious murmuration over the marshes before descending into the reedbeds to roost for the night.
Where: Cilgerran, SA43 2TB
5 Thameside Nature Discovery Park, Essex Wildlife Trust
Watch the spectacle of a murmuration unfold from the accessible 360º viewing platform of the Nature Discovery Centre. Watch the resident starling acrobatics above with the Thames Estuary as your backdrop.
Where: Thurrock, SS17 0RN
6 Fishlake Meadows, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Fishlake Meadows comes alive in winter as up to 80,000 starlings sweep across the dusk sky in murmuration. This fluid ritual draws watchers to the wetland reserve with great views from the canal path and viewing platforms.
Where: Romsey, SO51 7AB
Did you spot any murmurations?
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Dr Deborah Brady introduces a secretive animal from the UK’s past and the partnership project exploring its potential return.
Missing Lynx
is lead
Dr Deborah Brady
ecologist for The Lifescape Project and manages The Missing Lynx Project.
Nature is like a puzzle. There are lots of different pieces, with such a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours that it’s hard to imagine them all merging. But somehow, they do. They fit together seamlessly, creating something strong and spectacular: a healthy ecosystem. A community of animals, plants and other organisms interacting with each other and the landscape in which they live. Nature in balance. Here in the UK, we have lots of wonderful wildlife. But some of the important pieces of that puzzle are missing. One of those pieces has a graceful, feline shape, with tufted ears and a short bob tail. It would once have sat within a mosaic of trees, never far from its preferred prey, roe deer. A missing link. The missing lynx.
Lost lynx
Lynx are woodland cats. They’re about the height of a Labrador, but lighter, with grey to goldenbrown fur that can be plain or speckled with black markings. They are elusive, live in low densities and like to avoid people. They are most at home amongst the trees, with lots of understory plants to hide them as they hunt. Across most of Europe, their main prey is roe deer, though they also feed on other hoofed
Concerns of risk to wildlife if planning laws weakened
Over this year, The Wildlife Trusts and other environmental organisations have become increasingly concerned about the risks to wildlife posed by potentially destructive rollbacks in environmental safeguards. In what felt like a twin attack on measures to help protect and restore wildlife in England, the UK Government has been considering big changes with new legislation related to the planning system. This includes a new Planning and Infrastructure Bill and a relaxing of Biodiversity Net Gain –a requirement on developers to leave nature in a better state than it was before.
Despite the Government promising a ‘win-win’ for development and the environment in the run up to the General Election, early readings of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill looked to strip away environmental protections and remove requirements for developers to avoid harming nature – breaking that promise. As concerns mounted, The Wildlife Trusts called on you, our supporters, to lend your voice. In what became our Broken Promises campaign, over 30,000 of you emailed your MP to ask for parts of the Bill to be withdrawn as environmentally unsafe and to request that the UK Government stopped issuing incorrect statements
about nature protections being a blocker to house building.
Thanks to your support, we have seen progress, with amendments to the Bill published by Ministers in mid-July that go a significant way to addressing our concerns. These amendments add new environmental safeguards to the proposed law and were published alongside a policy statement from the UK Government recognising nature protections are not a barrier to growth.
However, this does not mean the risk to wildlife has completely disappeared and so we will continue to work with parliamentary peers on the Bill, pressing for further assurances. We will also continue to stress to Government that fiddling with planning protections will not
is to make small development sites exempt from the rules, which new research by eftec has shown could lead to 97% of planning applications escaping any Biodiversity Net Gain requirement.
Lots of evidence shows that investing in and avoiding harm to nature does more than just boost its recovery –multiple co-benefits exist including solutions to flooding and drought, improved health and well-being and making financial savings through supply chains. The same research from eftec also suggests that the proposed changes to Biodiversity Net Gain represent a potential loss of funding for nature’s recovery equivalent to around £250 million a year. It makes no sense to deregulate and pull the rug from under investors in the green economy – and this is a case we will continue to make with politicians.
To keep up-to-date with the latest news around planning and development, in context of the environment take a look at The Wildlife Trusts’ blogs on the subject: wildlifetrusts.org/blog/category/ planning-and-development
UK HIGHLIGHTS
Ban bottom trawling in protected seas now
Bottom trawling is destroying our seabed –and it’s still happening inside Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This industrial fishing method drags heavy gear across the seafloor, smashing fragile habitats, releasing stored carbon and killing marine life on a massive scale. Then, of what’s caught, over three quarters is simply thrown away.
Thanks to Ocean, Sir David Attenborough’s latest BBC documentary, the public can now see the destruction caused. But the reality is worse: MPAs, meant to protect the seabed, are being trawled without repercussion. Out of sight cannot mean out of mind. The UK Government’s recently launched consultation looking at banning bottom trawling in 41 offshore MPAs.
Once common species, like tree sparrows are now red-listed
A decade of nature-friendly farming brings wildlife back UK UPDATE
This is a crucial step – but only if swift action follows.
Partial or delayed protections won’t save our seas. The Wildlife Trusts are calling for an immediate ban on bottom trawling in all seabed-protecting MPAs. We must protect entire areas, not just fragments, and finally stop industrial-scale damage in waters meant to be safe for nature.
Marine life can recover. Seabed habitats store carbon, support wildlife, and help secure sustainable fisheries. But only if we act now. In the words of Sir David Attenborough, “If we save the sea, we save our world.”
Join us in telling Minister Hardy to ban bottom trawling in MPAs. The future of our seas depends on it. wtru.st/Ban-Bottom-Trawling
Rare birds, bees and butterflies are returning to farms across England thanks to a decade of nature-friendly farming. The Jordans Farm Partnership – a collaboration between The Wildlife Trusts, Jordans Cereals and LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) – has supported 27 farms since 2015 to create tailored conservation plans.
From planting hedgerows and wildflower margins to restoring ponds and improving habitat links, farmers have transformed their land for wildlife. Over half have reported sightings of new or
returning species – many of them rare or endangered.
Red-listed birds like the tree sparrow, nightingale and goshawk have reappeared, alongside the rare meadow clary plant, found in just 26 UK sites. Other highlights include breeding stone curlew in Hampshire, scarce emerald damselfly in Suffolk and brown hare in Leicestershire.
This inspiring partnership shows what’s possible when farming works hand-inhand with nature – creating healthier landscapes for wildlife, farmers and future generations.
Discover how The Wildlife Trusts are helping wildlife across the UK
Once in a lifetime
When Peter McEvoy first stepped foot on 90-acres of farmland in County Fermanagh, he knew it was a special place: the last remnants of speciesrich grassland and centuries-old woodland in Northern Ireland. Ulster Wildlife is now the proud new owner of Fedian Nature Reserve, brimming with wildflower meadows, bird-friendly hedgerows and ancient woodlands. wtru.st/Safeguarding-nature
Cuckoo, cuckoo
Two cuckoos, named Arthur and Ashok, have been fitted with lightweight satellite tags to track their remarkable trans-Saharan migration. The cuckoos from Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Worlingham Marshes nature reserve will join over 100 others in the British Trust for Ornithology’s long-running Cuckoo Tracking Project, to help understand the cuckoo population decline.
wtru.st/Cuckoos-tagged
Pine marten kits born
Devon and Somerset Wildlife Trusts are among those celebrating the birth of wild pine martens in a pioneering reintroduction project in the southwest of England. Recorded on site, exclusive footage shows the first kits born into the wild in Devon for more than a century.
wtru.st/Pine-marten-kits
Life in a Teasel Head
Julie Gould, wilder childhood officer, and Becky Williams, wild network officer, at Cheshire Wildlife Trust, share their passion for the magical world of winter seed heads and the wildlife they welcome.
Two years ago, Julie shook a teasel head, Dipsacus fullonum, over a patch of her garden, releasing the small brown seeds. This plant soon grew to seven feet tall, displaying fresh, bright green foliage. In the summer, the conical-shaped seed head was densely packed with lilac flowers, providing a rich nectar and pollen source for pollinators, such as bumblebees and a variety of our resident butterflies.
The magic of the teasel doesn’t end with summer. In winter, its sculptural seed heads become striking silhouettes, and more importantly, they provide a rich food source for wildlife.
One of Julie’s fondest wildlife memories is from her kitchen window, where she spotted a charm of goldfinchesbalancing on swaying
teasel seed heads. Their long, needle-like beaks root around for the small seeds. On frosty mornings, the seed heads sparkled silver in the low light – a truly enchanting sight.
Teasels are just one example of how leaving plants standing throughout winter can benefit wildlife. From the warmth of your house, watch birds such as house sparrows feeding on flowerheads like rudbeckia.
Consider delaying the cutting of your herbaceous borders until early spring and leaving the leaf piles intact. This is a unique habitat that provides cover for ground-foraging birds, such as dunnocks, as well as hibernating frogs and hedgehogs. Hollow plant stems are a vital over-wintering home for invertebrates such as ladybirds, earwigs, and butterfly and moth caterpillar larvae. Uncut ivy and hedgerows also offer protection and food to a plethora of wildlife. This winter, resist the urge to tidy too much. A wilder garden is better for both wildlife and our own enjoyment too.
Here are Becky’s favourite seed heads to be left in the garden through winter:
Echinacea
Echinacea purpurea
Their spiky seed heads stand tall through winter, offering shelter for insects and a vital food source for hungry finches and other seed-loving birds.
Honesty
Lunaria annua
These papery silver seed pods are a winter must have. Beautiful and sculptural, providing shelter for insects and lingering seeds when food is scarce.
Ivy Hedera helix
The garden’s unsung hero! It’s evergreen leaves shelter nesting robins in spring, while fruits and seeds provide a vital food source for other birds in winter.
Knapweed
Centaurea nigra
Thistle-like and wild, knapweed bursts with nectar rich purple blooms in summer. By autumn, its fluffy seed heads feed goldfinches and flutter across meadows.
Miscanthus
Miscanthus sinensis
Rustling in the wind, its dense growth offers hiding spots for birds, mammals and insects, plus nutritious seeds through the long winter months.
Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia hirta
Resist the urge to tidy! These bright summer blooms leave behind crispy, black seed heads that feed birds and shelter insects, standing elegantly through the winter.
Sea holly
Eryngium
A prickly, garden ghost. Spiky, thistle-like sea hollies that thrive in dry, coastal spots. Loved by pollinators in summer and birds in winter.
Sedum
Sedum anglicum
Easily Becky’s favourite winter plant, sedum’s tall flower heads offer late autumn nectar for bees, shelter for overwintering insects and look stunning covered in frost.
The Geordie Ramblers
@geordieramblers@geordie_hiker
We are nature
We both grew up in the north-east of England and were blessed to be surrounded by the wild beauty of forests, coastlines, historic castles, valleys and rolling moorland. We remember our muddy boots after school, rock pooling, riding our bikes until the sun set over the city, flasks of tea on blustery hilltops and walking for miles with our parents without seeing another soul.
To share our adventures, I set up @geordieramblers and Steph @geordie_hiker, This was before we even knew each other. It’s funny looking back, we were just two strangers posting walks, reflections and the quiet magic of what felt real to us. The boggy bits, the windswept cliffs, early starts, aching legs and our full hearts.
We met completely by chance in the tent aisle of an outdoor shop. Steph was full of confidence and questions about wild camping. That moment turned into hours, favourite trails, wildlife and the sense of belonging in nature. A week later we were hiking Blencathra together.
We’re not about ticking off peaks, we share real moments, places and our love for these wild places. Whether it’s the silence on a solo hike or a deep chat halfway up a climb, it gives you room to breathe and space to reflect, particularly after a busy week at work. We were saying what a lot of others were feeling.
We’ve had magical moments with wild deer in the Scottish Highlands, spotted a red squirrel leaping through trees in Kielder, an otter slipping silently into a river at sunrise, a barn owl silently gliding over a frosty field at Bamburgh Castle. Each one felt like a gift from the land that we love so deeply.
But barriers to getting out on a hike are real for people. Everything from lack of transport, to not feeling ‘outdoorsy enough’, to thinking you need expensive gear. We’ve heard people say, “I didn’t think someone like me belonged in those spaces,” and friends say, “I never thought this was for me.” That hit us hard. So, we started sharing more beginnerfriendly routes, hosting inclusive meetups and talking openly about imposter syndrome. We have written e-Books on beautiful beginner walks and created free guides to get people started. We believe nature should be for everyone.
Steph promotes access to women in the outdoors and runs navigation workshops with mountain leaders. Our community interest group @tynetosummit runs community walks every month in beautiful places across the North-East. We love it when people are surprised to find themselves laughing on a hilltop, instead of queuing at the bar.
We’ve recently become new parents, and yes, with shorter distances, more bags and snacks, it’s possible to hike with a baby. Luca’s eyes open with wonder when he’s out in nature. A rustling tree, a buzzing bee or the sparkle of water may be his first memories. We want our son to grow up knowing that joy can be found in simplicity, in nature and the land we love.
Recently, The Wildlife Trusts embarked on an exciting venture to save Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. With part already in Wildlife Trust ownership, it’s open to those looking for adventure. However, with 2,600 nature reserves across the UK, Alderney and the Isle of Man, there’s a nearby adventure awaiting everyone!
wtru.st/rothbury-appeal
12 DAYS WILD
Create space for inspiration, connection and what truly matters this Christmas with 12 Days Wild. “The most breath-taking things in life, a sunrise, a breeze, the sound of trees... cost nothing, yet offer everything” – Scott.
Sign up and we’ll help you discover something magical this Christmas. wildlifetrusts.org/ 12dayswild
The Geordie Ramblers Steph @geordie_hiker and Scott @geordieramblers have built over 300,000 followers on Instagram. They’ve been named the Hero of Northumberland for their @tynetosummit hiking community and have won national awards simply for sharing their love of the countryside in the North-East and Lake District.
Protect safe homes for wildlife this Christmas
Send a gift to your local nature reserve
We are in the midst of a nature emergency and our wildlife is coming under increasing threat from inappropriate development and a changing climate.
By giving a gift to nature this Christmas you can help protect the special places where wildlife still thrives.
Durham Wildlife Trust manages 53 nature reserves between the Tees and the Tyne, and by conserving these havens we are protecting species at risk and laying the foundation for nature’s recovery.
To give a gift to your local Durham Wildlife Trust nature reserve this Christmas, or a place which holds a special meaning to you, please scan the code below, or visit: www.durhamwt.com/give-a-gift
