Saving England's most threatened species from extinction

The projects

Programme overview   >   The projects

Back from the Brink was one of the most ambitious conservation projects ever undertaken.
Its aim was to save 20 species from extinction and benefit over 200 more through 19 projects that span England; from the tip of Cornwall to Northumberland.

It’s the first time ever that so many conservation organisations came together with one focus in mind – to bring back from the brink of extinction some of England’s most threatened species of animal, plant and fungi. Explore the diverse projects below to find out how we got on.

Dorset’s Heathland Heart

Creating the micro-habitats that key heathland species need

Check it out

Ancients of the Future

Protecting ancient trees and the wildlife that relies on them

Check it out

Barberry carpet moth

Making the few remaining existing Barberry Carpet Moth populations more secure, and establishing new ones

Check it out

Black-tailed Godwits

Ensuring the future of Black-tailed Godwits in the UK

Check it out

Colour in the Margins

Saving threatened arable habitats and the species that depend on them

Check it out

Cornish Path Moss

Improving our understanding of the needs and distribution of Cornish Path Moss, and halting its decline

Check it out

Limestone’s Living Legacies

Working to restore and manage a network of grassland sites in the Cotswolds

Check it out

Field Cricket

Increasing Field Cricket populations in England by creating more habitat

Check it out

Gems in the Dunes

Saving sand dunes along the Sefton coast, home to gems like Sand Lizards and the Natterjack Toad

Check it out

Grey long-eared bat

Amongst the UK’s rarest mammals, aiming to protect and grow their numbers

Check it out

Ladybird Spider

Aiming for 20 sustainable populations of Ladybird Spiders in Dorset, ensuring the future of this special spider

Check it out

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Reversing the orchid's decline after disappearing from more than half of its former range in just 50 years

Check it out

Little Whirlpool Ramshorn Snail

Protecting one of the rarest, most restricted and most vulnerable freshwater molluscs in Britain

Check it out

Narrow-headed ant

With just one population in England, taking  urgent action to make sure we don't lose it altogether

Check it out

Pine marten

Monitoring the spread of the Pine Marten in northern England, as part of the overall recovery of the species in this country

Check it out

Roots of Rockingham

Restoring Rockingham Forest's broadleaved woodland to create places for vulnerable species to thrive

Check it out

Shifting Sands

Restoring and creating a mosaic of habitats for the Brecks’ rarest wildlife

Check it out

Shrill Carder Bee

Saving this charismatic bumblebee from extinction in England

Check it out

Willow Tit

Working to safeguard the future of the UK’s most threatened resident bird

Check it out