STORY
More than 350 threatened species are to benefit from what the Government has described as the largest investment yet in recovering England’s wildlife. Natural England will support 130 projects involving 364 plants, animals and fungi through £60 million from the Species Recovery Programme over the next three years.
Projects will include work to locate the rare ghost orchid using detection dogs and environmental DNA, restore habitats for the swallowtail butterfly and protect the native white-clawed crayfish from invasive species. Zoos, aquariums and conservation organisations will also run breeding and release programmes for 16 rare invertebrates.
The Government said wildlife populations had declined by about a third since 1970 and that one in six species in Great Britain was at risk of extinction. A further £30 million will support species recovery on the national forest estate, bringing the wider commitment associated with the programme to £90 million.