The effects of a huge wildfire on Abergwesyn Common (National Trust/Chris Smith/PA)Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation at the National Trust, said: “Heat, drought and fire are the defining headlines of 2025. One of the most damaging impacts of the hot, dry spring and summer was the outbreak of wildfires, which saw a record 47,000 hectares (116,000 acres) of land burn across the UK. And pied flycatchers in Chirk Castle, Wales and Longshaw in the Peak District, saw good numbers fledging as a result of the dry and settled weather in spring. “But there is hope: where we’ve restored rivers, wetlands and peatlands, nature has shown remarkable resilience,” he said, adding that scaling up these efforts “can give wildlife and landscapes the lifeline they need”. These include the River Aller’s “stage-0” restoration project on the Holnicote Estate on Exmoor, which has created wetlands that held water and supported water voles, egrets and swifts through the dry weather.

Source: The Herald December 29, 2025 00:05 UTC