Natural England: Big Budgets, Bigger Headcounts - But Where’s the Delivery?

Over the last five years, Natural England's budget has ballooned by 73%, now standing at an eye-watering £318 million. Staff numbers have surged too, with around 3,000 people now on the payroll. But with that scale of investment, you might reasonably expect a revolution in environmental delivery. Sadly, quite the opposite seems to be true.

More Money, Less Output

Despite this cash and manpower injection, outputs are declining, and questions are mounting about Natural England's capacity to deliver on its core objectives. Nowhere is this more evident than in the uplands - those vast, ecologically rich moorlands that should be at the centre of conservation excellence.

The Moorland Association has recently called out chronic failings in Natural England’s publications, including its recent review of heather burning and the definition of favourable conservation status. These aren't isolated gripes, they are systemic concerns coming from land managers who are actively engaged with the landscape.

The Great Peat Map Debacle

And just when we thought things couldn't get worse, Natural England proudly launched its new interactive peat map so we can all “make more informed decisions” and then invited the public to use it to inform responses to a live Defra consultation on heather burning.

What could possibly go wrong?

Plenty, it turns out. Moorland Association members have swiftly highlighted major inaccuracies in the new mapping tool. Among the worst offenders (if you have even better ones, do let us know):

The maps above show a bare quarry floor identified as 1m of peat.

The map above shows bare limestone identified as calluna bog (in left square) and woodland identified as calluna bog (in right square).

That’s not just a minor glitch, it’s a basic failure of environmental cartography.

A Map With No Message

Natural England themselves have admitted that land managers shouldn’t rely on the map to identify where deep peat actually is on their land. So, after years of work and millions of pounds, we’ve ended up with a map… that cannot be used.

A Wasted Opportunity

This is especially galling given that, back in 2021, the government released its England Peat Action Plan. It included a bold commitment to create detailed peatland mapping, to help land managers and even the Fire and Rescue Service tackle wildfire risk. That was four years ago. Where’s that promise now?

Nowhere to be seen.

Silence from the Conservation Industry

What’s more concerning is the deafening silence from the wider conservation industry. Despite glaring issues with the peat map and its implications, not a single conservation NGO has raised concerns. Perhaps they’re not paying attention. Or perhaps they simply don’t care.

Do as I Say, Not as I Do

Ironically, one day after this problematic peat map was launched, Natural England also celebrated the designation of a new upland National Nature Reserve, the Bradford Pennine Gateway. The Chair of Natural England declared it will “reverse historic declines.” But based on Natural England’s own track record, that claim is far from convincing.

Let’s not forget: the only upland National Nature Reserve that Natural England manages directly itself is at Moor House. These sites were supposed to be beacons of best practice and demonstration. Yet after 70 years of quango management - of the 25 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs):

• Only 5 are in favourable condition (as assessed by Natural England itself)

• The rest (80%) are either unfavourable, declining, or in one case, destroyed.

When the body entrusted with setting standards can’t meet those standards on its own land, serious questions must be asked.

Time for Accountability

It’s time for Defra, Parliament, and the public to demand real accountability. Natural England seems to have become a quango adrift - untethered from results, unmoved by criticism, and unfazed by its own inconsistencies.

This isn’t just a missed opportunity. It’s a clear warning sign. If the government’s own environmental guardian can’t deliver accurate maps, manage its own sites effectively, or even align its advice with its tools, how can we trust it to lead the charge on national nature recovery?

The uplands deserve better. So do the taxpayers footing the bill.

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