Saving England's most threatened species from extinction
Archive:
5th September 2019
Over the Brink in the Brecks! When we think of extinction, we often think of far flung places; tropical rain-forests, charismatic megafauna, tigers and polar bears. Whilst it’s true that this is a global wildlife epidemic, and that we’re in the midst of the 6th major mass extinction, this is not something just happening elsewhere....
Read more18th March 2019
An update on Shifting Sands’ work to save the endangered Breckland Wormwood (Artemisia campestris)... Shifting Sands is focused on helping the rarest Brecks species including two wonderful plants, Prostrate Perennial Knawel (Scleranthus perennis subsp prostratus) and Breckland Wormwood (Artemisia campestris).Breckland Wormwood now persists at only two native sites in the Brecks, accompanied at one...
Read more18th January 2019
The Shifting Sands project is based within the ‘broken lands’ of western East Anglia, a mysterious and uncertain zone whose unique species are under increasing threat of extinction. Their subtle, modest beauty is reflected not in picturesque rolling vistas but in the minutiae of small-scale, ground level life. I shall be exploring these wondrous plants...
Read more17th January 2019
Hi! My name is Pip, I’ve been the Keystone Species Officer for Shifting Sands for around one month now, having joined the team in December. I’m keen to share with you what I’ve learned in the last few weeks, and what we’re planning for 2019... To me, a Yorkshire girl, heathland has always meant hills,...
Read more7th January 2019
Since the middle of last year I’ve been volunteering with Natural England on the Shifting Sands project. During the few months I have been doing my work experience, David (the Keystone Species officer) has been a fantastic (and patient) teacher of flora. My pleasure at correctly identifying plants I previously didn’t know is great; so...
Read more13th December 2018
I am a mature student studying for a Foundation Degree in Ecology and Conservation Management at Easton College, Norfolk. I have a child and was at the point of considering what I wanted to do with regard to returning to work... In the past I have mostly worked in office positions but didn’t feel this...
Read more15th June 2018
There's loads going on here in the Brecks - we have lots of new volunteering opportunities and events! Read on to find out more… In the Kings Forest, archaeology and wildlife surveys are being undertaken ahead of tree-felling this Autumn. This will widen forest corridors, providing benefits to many rare and declining open-habitat species....
Read more9th May 2018
The case of Prostrate perennial knawel: Bringing one of the UK’s rarest plants back from the brink in the Brecks. Prostrate perennial knawel (Scleranthus perennis spp. prostratus) in flower, photographed at Santon Track near Brandon, Suffolk, a publicly accessible site owned and managed by the Forestry Commission and open all year round. This small (if...
Read more8th March 2018
It’s been a very busy start of the year for Shifting Sands. We have been finalising our designs for our rabbit habitat enhancement plots and getting all sorts of surveys done on our sites. As we are working on mainly SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), our sites are home to many rare species which...
Read more19th December 2017
In our last two Willow Tit blogs, we introduced the project itself and then looked at why it’s been chosen for Back from the Brink. In this blog piece, we’re focussing on how you can spot a Willow Tit and what you can do when that happens.
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