RSPB news roundup (summer/autumn 2025)

Guiding for nature

Thousands of girls and young women have enjoyed powerful connections with nature during our first 10 years of working with Girlguiding. Since 2015, the RSPB has partnered with Girlguiding London and South East England, working more recently with the North West England, South West England and Anglia regions. Achievements have included providing leaders with downloadable nature activity packs and running large-scale nature events, building skills and confidence through training leaders to do more for nature. As a result, young Girlguiding members are learning to make nature-friendly choices and feeling empowered to become champions for birds and nature.

Girlguiding at Morden Hall Park in south London. Photo: Lisa Green

The river wild

The Howgill Beck naturalisation project at RSPB Geltsdale has won the 2025 UK River Prize: Project-scale Award for its successful ecological and hydrological restoration. The improved wetland habitats and the reintroduction of natural features have enabled 15ha of valley floor to be influenced by natural wetting (35ha in flood conditions), creating a dynamic floodplain that enhances habitat and resilience. See more about how the river was brought back to life.

The RSPB, alongside partners, restored the river at the heart of RSPB Geltsdale reserve. Photo: Dynamic Rivers

Orkney wildlife rebounds

The Orkney Native Wildlife Project, which removes invasive non-native Stoats, launched in 2019. Six years on, it’s heartening to see bird and mammal species springing back. Orkney is home to nationally and internationally important populations of ground-nesting birds – including up to 15% of the UK’s Hen Harriers – plus breeding seabirds, waders and the Orkney Vole, an endemic subspecies.

This project, a partnership between the RSPB, NatureScot and Orkney Islands Council, is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, EU Life and the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, along with donations from supporters and partners. Surveys in 2024 revealed increases in populations of Orkney Voles and Curlews, and improved nest success for Hen Harriers and waders.

The local community is crucial to this success – they are volunteering, reporting Stoat sightings and granting land access.

A 2024 survey revealed an increase in Orkney Vole populations. Photo: Adam Hough (rspb-images.com)

Capital team effort

The RSPB Central London Local Group, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, has made a huge impact since its formation, organising more than 1,500 awareness-raising events. In its first three years alone, it raised £3,000 – well over £20,000 today – to help purchase land around RSPB Loch Garten. Recent fundraising produced £5,000 for a viewing platform at RSPB Bempton Cliffs and a shelter for conservation-grazing Konik ponies at RSPB Old Hall Marshes. Find and join your local group.

Konik Ponies are on site at RSPB Old Hall Marshes as part of the conservation grazing programme. Photo: David Tipling (rspb-images.com)

North Sea ship collision

A collision between a tanker and a container ship off the coast of East Yorkshire on 10 March threatened to add to the challenges facing seabirds and other species. Seabirds are already under pressure from ongoing environmental and human-caused problems, including avian influenza, climate change, food scarcity and risk of bycatch in fishing operations. In the days following the collision, it became clear that the environmental impact was not as great as initially feared, though some aviation fuel had leaked into the North Sea and plastic nurdles were observed washing ashore. We have continued to monitor the situation and take what action we can to mitigate the threats to wildlife.

Nurturing young nature lovers

Students in Lincoln, York and Nottingham are developing their appreciation of and involvement with the natural world and RSPB work thanks to collaborations with local groups.

We know the importance of engaging with young people – the future of wildlife and the environment rests in their hands. For this reason, local groups are recruiting Student Ambassadors to become volunteers and build connections with other students and university staff.

Michael Teague has been a fantastically active Student Ambassador at the University of Lincoln. He’s been promoting the local group, liaising with the university sustainability team on green initiatives and helping to organise various activities, including well-supported Big Garden Birdwatch events, on both of the university campuses. He’s also arranged for students to join three local group trips, including one to Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve in December.

Likewise, our first ambassadors at York University have organised various joint events, including bird walks on campus and a talk on the history and work of the RSPB.

And Journalism and PR students have started promoting the local group at Nottingham Trent University, attending a meeting and weekend walks to collect footage for a short promo film. They will also produce a set of posters to display.

Students at Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve. Photo: Amelia Ajayi

Restore Nature Now legacy

A year ago, more than 60,000 people joined the largest demonstration for nature ever seen in the UK, which also involved 400-plus organisations including the RSPB. High-profile supporters such as RSPB Vice President Chris Packham, RSPB President Dr Amir Khan and Dame Emma Thompson joined the march to London’s Parliament Square to urge the government to Restore Nature Now. Aims included government backing for nature- and climate-friendly farming, making polluters pay, and more space for nature. Though a different government is now in place, we’re continuing to campaign and, at time of writing, have joined with others to ask to meet the Secretary of State for the Environment on this anniversary for follow-up questions. One year on, we’re not giving up and will continue to keep up the fight.

Chris Packham speaks to the over 60,000 people gathered in London for the Restore Nature Now demonstration. Photo: Richard Bowler (rspb-images.com)