Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme

🌊 The Solent’s internationally important habitats are on the brink — but restoration offers hope A new report has, for the first time, brought together data revealing dramatic declines across the Solent’s habitats and species — with saltmarsh, mudflats, seagrass, and oyster beds all at risk. 🔍 What’s happening? The Solent State of Nature Report shows: • Three key habitats could vanish in the next 100–200 years without intervention. • Oyster beds have already been lost. • Seabird breeding colonies, fish nurseries and overwintering grounds are deteriorating. The Solent supports 11,500 pairs of seabirds and is vital for species like the dark-bellied Brent goose, juvenile rays and sharks. These habitats also play a role in climate regulation, water quality, and coastal protection — yet they're being lost due to pollution, climate change, and human pressure. 🔧 What’s being done? The Solent Seascape Project, which commissioned the report, is working to reverse these trends by: • Creating native oyster reefs • Restoring seagrass beds and saltmarsh • Enhancing seabird breeding islands This is one of the UK’s first projects working at a seascape scale, and forms part of the UN Ocean Decade. 🧭 “Solent nature is in trouble, but... it’s not too late – it’s now or never.” – Louise MacCallum, Blue Marine Foundation 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/gA-K_5a5 📸 Gavin Holder, Matt Jarvis, Paul Adams

🌍 256,117 hectares of land and sea have been newly protected through projects supported by the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme. These new protections are helping restore ecosystems, safeguard wildlife, and support local communities. Here are just a few examples: 🌊 Marine protected areas, Türkiye 19,347 hectares along nearly 200 km of coastline have been designated as marine protected areas and No-Fishing Zones, supporting the recovery of marine wildlife and local fish stocks. 🐾 Hunting-free zones, Romanian Carpathians 70,000 hectares of hunting concessions have been purchased to create a contiguous, hunting-free area alongside Piatra Craiului National Park—supporting large carnivore conservation and coexistence with people. 🟢 Pushcha Radzivila National Park, Ukraine Created in 2022, this new national park covers 24,265 hectares in Ukraine’s Rivne region. Together with protected areas in neighbouring Belarus, it forms one of the largest natural complexes of bogs and transitional mires in Europe. These efforts contribute to a more connected and resilient Europe for nature and people. Read more about our impact here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g75RGB5P 📸 Akdeniz Koruma Derneği, Cailin Serban, Wild Polesia

🌍Join the movement to restore Europe’s landscapes and seascapes! The Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme supports partners to rebuild healthy, connected, and wilder ecosystems where nature and people thrive. Want to stay updated on our work? Our news updates bring you: 🌿 The latest insights from restoration projects across Europe 📖 Stories of ecological recovery and community involvement 💡 Funding opportunities and policy developments 📅 Upcoming events and ways to get involved Sign up today and be part of the restoration movement! 🔗https://lnkd.in/dSvSCm8C

🐿️ Tracing Forest Connectivity in Koitajoki through Flying Squirrels In Finland’s Koitajoki Watershed, only scattered pockets of old-growth boreal forest remain—particularly near peatlands and lakes, where these ecosystems are most valuable for biodiversity. Much of the area has been replaced by monoculture forests managed for timber, leading to fragmented habitats. 📊 How are we tracking progress? To restore connectivity, Snowchange Cooperative is protecting and regenerating key forest patches. One indicator being used to monitor progress is the Siberian flying squirrel—a species that relies on mature, undisturbed forests. 🪵 Flying squirrels need: • Large, old trees and standing deadwood for nesting • Aspen and other deciduous trees for feeding • Continuous canopy cover for gliding between sites 🛷 Surveys are carried out annually from April to early May, when squirrel droppings are visible on the snow. These mark squirrel presence and movement through the corridors. Observations take place in three key areas: Lietoja, Keljonsuo-Koskutkangas, and Havukkakallio. 🌿 What are we aiming for? A connected network of maturing forest where wildlife can move freely. If flying squirrels are found using new corridors, it’s a sign that habitat connectivity is improving. 📈 Early insights Since 2022, nearly 100 ha of corridors have been secured for protection. Data collection is ongoing and will help assess whether restored areas are supporting greater movement between forest patches. Learn more about how the Koitajoki Watershed project is restoring habitat connectivity: https://lnkd.in/g68hnA-V 📸Ari Valkola

🦌 Rewilding is more than restoring nature—it’s about finding ways to live alongside it. In the Ukrainian part of the Danube Delta, red and fallow deer are making a comeback, restoring biodiversity and reducing wildfire risk. But as they explore their recovering landscape, some have wandered into local gardens and orchards, creating new coexistence challenges. Rather than letting this become a source of conflict, the Rewilding Danube Delta team, with support from the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme and the Rewilding Europe European Wildlife Comeback Fund took action. Working alongside local residents, they provided protective fencing—helping to safeguard crops and gardens while ensuring that wildlife recovery remains a success for everyone. This World Rewilding Day, with the theme #RewildingTogether, we celebrate the practical solutions that make rewilding work—not just for nature, but for people too. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gbmqpDBY 📸Oleg Dyakov, Maxim Yakovlev, Rewilding Ukraine.

Hunters and conservationists working together? In Bulgaria’s Sakar Mountains, this collaboration is helping to restore an entire ecosystem. Fallow deer once played a key role in maintaining predator-prey dynamics here, but unsustainable hunting and habitat loss caused their numbers to decline. With fewer natural prey, wolves have increasingly turned to livestock, raising the risk of human-wildlife conflict and the return of illegal poisoning—threatening not just the wolves, but also species like cinereous vultures and imperial eagles. To address this, the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB / BirdLife Bulgaria), with support from the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme and the European Wildlife Comeback Fund, has partnered with local hunting organisations to boost fallow deer populations. This partnership is already seeing success: 🦌 26 deer were released in November 2023, followed by 46 more in 2024 🐺 Wolves are regaining their natural prey, reducing livestock predation 🦅 Scavengers like vultures and eagles benefit from a more stable food source 🤝 Local hunting groups are engaged in monitoring and protection, ensuring long-term success As Stoycho Stoychev, Conservation Director at BSPB, explains: “By working closely with local hunting clubs and communities, we are not only bringing back a historically native species but also fostering a shared responsibility for conservation.” 🔗Find out more: https://lnkd.in/g2VnAZVJ 📸G. Gerdjikov, Georgi Chakyrov, Martin Tomas, G. Gradinarov

🌍 Restoring the Danube Delta: Europe’s Largest Wetland 🌍 Today, we’re celebrating the ongoing restoration efforts in the Danube Delta, Europe's largest natural river delta. Spanning Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova, this unique wetland ecosystem is vital for biodiversity, supporting species such as the pygmy cormorant, great white pelican, and European sturgeon. For decades, infrastructure development has negatively impacted the delta, but now there’s an opportunity to reverse this damage and restore the region to its natural glory. Through the application of rewilding principles, this project led by Rewilding Danube Delta is working to revitalise the landscape, enhance biodiversity, and develop a nature-based economy for local communities. Key achievements include: • Removing 10 obsolete dams to restore natural water flow and improve spawning grounds • Reintroducing 63 Konik horses, 20 red deer, 40 kulan, and other large herbivores to restore natural grazing • Restoring 500 ha of the Tarutino steppe and creating more conditions for wildlife to thrive • Boosting biodiversity with the release of 10 juvenile eagle owls as part of a reintroduction programme • Launching nature-based tourism initiatives with wildlife hides and observation towers to foster local engagement • Holding eco-ethno festivals to reconnect local communities with their natural and cultural heritage The restoration of the Danube Delta is not just about reviving nature—it’s about securing a sustainable future for people and wildlife alike. 🔗Find out more about how this project is shaping Europe’s largest wetland for future generations: https://lnkd.in/gj5sqm8u 📸 Maxim Yarkov, Andrey Nekrasov

🌿 Resource Spotlight: Restoration Partnership Development Toolkit People hold deeply rooted views about landscapes—what they should look like, who should manage them, and how they should change. Restoration projects often face contentious debates over land use, livelihoods, and ecological priorities. To help navigate these challenges, the University of Cambridge and The University of Edinburgh, funded by the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme, have developed the Restoration Partnership Development Toolkit—a free, practical tool for understanding and discussing diverse stakeholder perspectives. What’s inside? 📲 Toolkit apps – Create and analyse surveys to map stakeholder perspectives. 📘 Training manual – A step-by-step guide to using the apps and structuring discussions. 🎥 Support videos – Learn how to facilitate workshops and navigate disagreements. Why use this toolkit? ✅ Understand perspectives – Gather insights on what matters to different stakeholders. ✅ Facilitate dialogue – Use real data to foster respectful, productive discussions. ✅ Strengthen partnerships – Identify shared priorities while acknowledging differences. Tested in real-world restoration projects Piloted in Cumbria Connect, where restoration debates can be polarised, the toolkit helped stakeholders find common ground while respecting disagreements. One participant reflected: 💬 “We all wanted the same fundamental goals, just not always in the same way. It was enlightening to hear different viewpoints.” 📖 Explore the toolkit here: 🔗https://lnkd.in/esRWexNv 📸Sheep in Cumbria, Patrick Neaves

🌊This week marked the start of a new chapter for our new seascape restoration grantees. On Monday, 19 participants from across Europe arrived at the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge, excited to kick off their grants and dive into the world of seascape restoration. This week has been packed with dynamic workshops, thought-provoking talks, and invaluable networking. It’s been a fantastic opportunity for our innovative seascape projects to meet, collaborate, and connect with each other and the ELSP team. Seascape restoration may be a relatively new field, but the atmosphere has been full of energy as we’ve reflected on the challenges ahead and the drive to overcome them. 🦪One of the standout moments was our visit to the Transforming the Thames project, hosted by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the RSPB and the Essex Wildlife Trust. We learned about their pioneering approach to restoring shellfish reefs, including a game-changing shell recycling scheme in partnership with London’s seafood restaurants. Plus, we discussed the rising threats presented by sea level rise, and the opportunities to mitigate any negative impacts. Our team is beyond excited to work alongside this inspiring group of changemakers over the coming years. We can't wait to see how the bold visions for these seascapes unfold and come to life. 🔗Curious about the new cohort of seascape restoration projects? Read more: https://lnkd.in/eA3vqfCM

🌍 With #WorldRewildingDay (20 March) approaching, we’re celebrating the 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 - because #rewilding at scale can only happen when we work together. 🙌 The Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme is a key supporter of this vision, helping rewilding thrive in our Danube Delta, Greater Côa Valley, and Iberian Highlands rewilding landscapes (among others). Their commitment is turning ambition into action, restoring natural processes, habitats, and species across vast landscapes. 🔹 “𝘈𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦-𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.” – David Thomas, Programme Director of ELSP Only by #RewildingTogether, can we restore nature’s balance, create wilder landscapes, and deliver benefits for both people and wildlife. 💚 We're deeply grateful for the support of The Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme in making large-scale rewilding possible! Their commitment shows what’s needed to bring nature back, and to turn big rewilding dreams into real impact on the ground, with benefits for all. 🐾🌱 📷👇 Discover some of the landscapes and efforts supported by ELSP with pictures by: Juan Carlos Muñoz / Neil Aldridge / Maxim Yakovlev / Nelleke de Weerd #RewildingEurope #NatureRecovery #Partnerships #ThankYouForYourSupport Rewilding Danube Delta, Rewilding Portugal, Fundación Española de Renaturalización - Rewilding Spain