Wildlife is in trouble. The UK is among the most nature-depleted countries in the world, facing a dual nature and climate crisis with one in six species now at risk of extinction. So, what have we been doing to help turn the tide?

Across the country, Wildlife Trust colleagues are making a real difference on the ground—and here in Hertfordshire and Middlesex, we’re out in the field restoring habitats, delivering landscape-scale nature recovery, protecting vulnerable species, campaigning for better policy, and helping people reconnect with the wildlife on their doorstep. None of this would be possible without you and everyone who has stood behind our work—thank you. Here’s a look at what we’ve been doing across our nature reserves and in the wider countryside in 2025, and what we’ve achieved together.

More land in Hertfordshire and Middlesex is managed and protected for nature

We started the year strong. A new report from The Wildlife Trusts, The National Water Vole Database Project Report, identified that against continued declines in Water Vole populations, that there were heartening increases in areas where conservation efforts have been focused. Two areas of Hertfordshire were identified as ‘Regional Key Areas’, newly meeting the 35km2 threshold at which it is likely to play a strategic role in the recovery of Water Voles. The prospects for Water Vole improved further In September, when we reintroduced 100 Water Voles to the Upper River Lea, taking us a further step forward to our aim of getting Water Voles back and thriving on all of Hertfordshire’s rivers.

In January, 40 new ponds were created at Hilfield Park Reservoir Nature Reserve, between Elstree and Bushey, as part of a target to have 203 ponds on the site manged for wildlife by 2030. Funded and supported by landowners Affinity Water, these will help boost dragonfly, amphibian and water beetle populations. 

During the spring, our aim to save a critically endangered plant, Scarce Tufted-sedge Carex cespitosa, from extinction in the UK took a significant step forward with assisted colonisation at four new sites in Hertfordshire. In total 900 plants went into the ground at the Trust’s Fir & Pond Woods Nature Reserve, near Potters Bar, Tarmac-owned Panshanger Park, near Welwyn Garden City, Silvermeade, in the Lee Valley Regional Park, and the Gaddesden Estate, near Hemel Hempstead.

Our reserves got a helping hand (or hoof) from some four-legged friends. Water Buffalo returned to Thorley Wash for the third year in a row to clear the ditches and improve biodiversity. We acquired a herd of Hebridean Sheep – a resilient breed with a taste for bramble. Together with a herd of Herdwick Sheep, their grazing at our Patmore Heath Nature Reserve will benefit the heathland habitat and its range of wildflowers and grasses, with Sheep Sorrel, in particular, giving the heath its distinctive red flush. And, we provided expert ecological advice to Tarmac, who own Panshanger Park, to introduce Iron Age Pigs to work their magic in creating new miniature ponds and scrapes. Their ‘rooting’ creates habitats for invertebrates and, in turn, food for rare wading birds such as Lapwing and Little Ringed Plover. 

After seven years of project planning, fundraising and delivery, local wildlife charity, we completed a major river restoration project on the River Ash on the Easneye Estate, near Hertford, also creating an extensive range of new wetland habitats to benefit wildlife. This landmark project for nature’s recovery is one of the largest of its kind in the county. The critically endangered Water Vole, wild Brown Trout, and Kingfisher are amongst those species who will benefit.

At our Rye Meads Nature Reserves, Tubular Water Dropwort, one of 1,524 species listed as a Herts Species of Conservation Concern, was recorded for the first time on the site since 2018. The Trust was able to get the wetland meadow cut in 2024, leading to this year’s fantastic discovery of around 130 of the plants. 

Throughout the year, our Chalk Rivers and Farm Advisory Officer has been leading a catchment-wide project, working closely with landholders, local communities and other partners to strengthen the flow, resilience and overall ecological health of the River Mimram. In September, skilled work parties hinged bankside trees to create natural cover and shade for fish, including wild Brown Trout. Additional woody features were also installed to break up fast flows, form new riffles, and provide valuable refuge for fish, invertebrates, birds and other wildlife.

We concluded a significant two-year project to restore the River Lea, connecting our Lemsford Springs and Stanborough Reedmarsh Nature Reserves. From improving resilience to flood events, to creating a new backwater, introducing woody habitat to provide cover for fish, and reedbed restoration, many species of wildlife will benefit, including juvenile fish such as Barbel, Roach and Dace, frogs and dragonflies.

We ended the year on a strong footing with the launch of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), following over two years of work in developing mapping and prioritisation work for our habitats and species, as part of the Hertfordshire Nature Recovery Partnership. The LNRS provides a ‘blueprint’ for the county and its various stakeholders to help reverse biodiversity loss and environmental decline.

A huge thank you to our members, supporters, volunteers, funders, landholders and partners who have made this work possible in 2025 – we couldn’t do it without you.

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