Campaigns Update

Communities coming together to shape their local area and protect green spaces is a key tenet of the planning system.

But the government is proposing changes that would drastically undermine the voice of the community, reduce the scope to provide genuinely affordable homes in rural areas, and fail to protect nature.

Last week, we joined forces with 17 charities to show a united front to oppose the government's plans, and this week we were in the media highlighting the risks to the countryside if the changes go ahead.

We’ll need your help to step up for community voice and the countryside - stay tuned for how you can get involved in the campaign.

We’re at a crossroads. The government is drawing up plans for how to help the country regenerate after coronavirus.

This is an opportunity to shape a future where everyone has a countryside to explore, an affordable place to live and a stable climate. 

But right now, the government is heading in the opposite direction – pouring more money into road-building and threatening to rip up the planning system.

We need our voices to be heard loud and clear. An incredible 15,000 people have already signed our petition - will you add your name?

In this latest episode, we talk about getting children out in nature, why it’s so important, and how to break down the barriers they face so that more young people have the opportunity to experience our most iconic countryside.

We’re joined by young environmentalist and campaigner Dr Mya-Rose Craig, Iesha Small, head of strategy and policy at the Youth Hostel Association, and Mark Robinson, a campaigner at CPRE.

Listen on our website, or subscribe on your podcast app to make sure you don’t miss an episode!

What would the English countryside be without butterflies? They bring a vivid flash of colour as they flutter about on a warm breeze.

Summer is a fantastic time of year to see butterflies when you’re out and about. But do you know a skipper from a painted lady? Or which of our common butterflies is an intrepid inter-continental explorer?

Here are our top 10 butterflies you can see in summer, and how to identify them.

What is peat? Well, peat is a soggy, boggy soil that's common in upland areas of England.

But did you know that peatlands are our biggest store of carbon in the UK, a haven for many rare and endangered species, and help prevent flooding?

If we don’t care for them properly, the resulting carbon emissions could wipe out all the carbon savings made through new and existing forests. But, frustratingly, few of our peatlands are in good shape.

Here's everything you need to know about peatlands, why they’re so important, and what we're doing to make them healthy again.

If you had the opportunity to make travel in your area greener, safer and easier on the planet, what would you change? Build better cycle lanes? More bus routes? Charging points for electric cars?

Now’s your chance to make change. The government is asking the nation for their views on how they should make transport greener and low-carbon.

We’ve put together a vision for a greener future for transport in the countryside – will you tell the government the changes you want to see?­

Head to the article for how to take action.