The countryside around England is teeming with wildlife. A good place to start looking is the protected lands of our National Parks (www.nationalparks.gov.uk/). They are already well geared up for visitors with designated footpaths, cycleways and bridlepaths in abundance.
England has an extraordinary diversity of landscapes. Ranging from forest, lakeland and mountain to rolling grassland, moor and heath, all are enveloped within the beautiful coastline. Little wonder that ornithologists from around the world come flocking: with so many varied habitats, a huge range of birds thrive here, some of them extremely rare. And as the terrain changes so quickly, you can watch different species without needing to travel far.
Hundreds of species of wildflowers bloom across England from spring to autumn - from rare varieties of orchid, saxifrage and mountain pansy to the primroses, violets and bluebells that are found in many a woodland clearing. The names of some of the less common species are quite enchanting - fairy flax, cottongrass and yellow wort, ragged-robin, muscatel and tormentil.
Many commercial attractions, gardens and country parks have sections dedicated to wildflowers. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London (www.rbgkew.org.uk/), is one of the leading centres for advice and action on aspects of plant and fungal conservation.
The Caravan Club (www.caravanclub.co.uk/) has won awards for regenerating despoiled and neglected areas of the countryside. Its sites provide important wildlife habitats and some contain Sites of Special Scientific Interest (www.english-nature.org.uk/special/sssi/) (SSSI). The club's programme of Biodiversity Audits ensures species diversity is encouraged through recommendations for plant and shrub planting and identification of 'set aside' areas on a number of sites. The Caravan Club teamed up with the RSPB as the Species Champion of the Song Thrush. This timid endangered bird was chosen because the habitat on many club sites – thick hedgerows, open farmland and native woodland – is well suited to the species.
Practical info
