An alarming level of microplastic fragments, 2,147 items kg-1 d.w. sediment (average value), were found to be prevalent throughout the intertidal mudflat sediments within the Medina Estuary, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Microplastics are particles which measure less than five millimetres, and exist in an array of shapes and forms. They cause pollution by entering natural ecosystems from a variety of sources, including run-off from land-based sources and wastewater discharge from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).

Report author Liberty Turrell, a Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust Volunteer and University of Manchester first-class graduate, collected mudflat sediment from 16 sample sites during low tides for her undergraduate dissertation. Analysis of the mud under laboratory conditions discovered three different microplastic shapes: fibres, fragments and beads. Microfibre was the most frequent occurring microplastic shape (99% of all microplastics were microfibres) occurring at all 16 sites.

Scientists reviewing the conservation status of the world’s bird populations have confirmed that four UK shorebird species have seen significant declines in numbers. As a result, Grey Plovers, Dunlins, Turnstones and Curlew Sandpipers have moved to higher threat categories on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Ahead of the Budget announcement on Wednesday 30th October, here are three key priorities The Wildlife Trusts will be watching for.

At COP16 – the global UN nature conference in Cali, Colombia – today is Finance and Biodiversity Day.

Increasing the amount invested in nature, as well as reducing the harmful subsidies for nature’s destruction, is critical to meeting the environmental goals the world signed up to through the Global Biodiversity Framework. This week, the UK Government has the perfect opportunity to demonstrate how this can be achieved at home as Rachel Reeves announces her Budget on Wednesday in one of the most anticipated moments of the new Government.

The Chancellor has promised to use Labour’s first budget in more than a decade to reboot economic growth by prioritising investment in infrastructure and repairing public services. But to get Britain growing, investment in repairing our natural infrastructure cannot be forgotten.

Cheshire’s ancient woodlands are a cherished part of the county’s natural heritage, offering not just a haven for wildlife but also a repository of memories for generations of local people. These woodlands, some of which have existed since medieval times, provide an enchanting escape into nature and a living connection to the past. As we look to the future, there is enormous potential to increase our native tree cover, benefiting wildlife, farming and the wider environment.

For many of us who grew up in Cheshire, woodlands hold a special place in our hearts. As children, we often wandered through these magical forests, our imaginations set free by the towering trees and the dappled sunlight that filtered through the canopy. In woodlands and forests such as Delamere Forest and Marbury Country Park, the massive oaks and beeches provided perfect hiding spots, their gnarled trunks offering refuge from friends during games of hide and seek. The thrill of being discovered or finding a new hiding place is a memory many of us cherish deeply.

A microscopic beetle has been discovered at a nature reserve.

The smallest beetle in Europe, measuring just 0.4mm in length, has been discovered at Rutland Water.

It is only the third time this species has been recorded in Britain and the first time it has been found outside of East Anglia.

Bats are traditionally linked to Halloween and at Longleat in Wiltshire, 14 different species of the flying mammal have been identified including several of the rarest in the UK.

Across the world, bats are heavily persecuted due to fictional associations with evil, yet they play an important part in ecosystems, for example in pollination and seed dispersal says Longleat’s conservation and research manager Dr Tom Lewis.

“Bechstein’s bat, which we believe is breeding on the estate, has become one of our rarest bats, largely due to the widespread destruction of ancient woodlands that once blanketed the country,” he said.

Thousands of people from the Midlands will be joining forces to highlight the importance of clean water in their lives.

Friends of the River Wye, and SafeAvon are just some of the 130 groups taking part in a London rally organised by the campaign charity River Action.

The RSPB, the National Trust and the World Wildlife Fund will be joined by naturalist Chris Packham, broadcasters Carol Vorderman and Liz Bonnin and Olympic rowing champion Imogen Grant in the capital on Sunday.

Tonnes of carbon dioxide could be absorbed from the atmosphere after almost 300,000 trees were planted, an environmental group has said.

Over the last 12 months, an army of volunteers for the North East Community Forest also planted hedgerows in parts of Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland and rural County Durham.

The group said it estimated the trees would capture about 51,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over 30 years.

More than 2,000 people took part in the scheme.

Excitement is building for the incredible murmurations the city is treated to every year as the starlings begin to return home.

The awe-inspiring displays see the birds dancing and whirling across the sky for protection as they prepare to settle down for the night.

Starlings group together in these magnificent spectacles across Sussex but the murmuration between the Palace Pier and the West Pier in Brighton is arguably the most famous in the county.

The recovery of nature must be a primary focus for government and developers, writes Erin McDaid of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

The Wildlife Trusts’ new report, Swift and Wild: How to build houses and restore nature together, calls for a strategic approach to planning and housebuilding as part of efforts to achieve wider environmental targets, including net-zero and protecting 30% of land for nature by 2030.

It also highlights the importance of embedding efforts to improve energy efficiency and delivering fair access to nature into the housebuilding process.

More than 100 competitors put their chainsaw skills to the test at the national hedgelaying championships earlier.

They were cheered on by hundreds of spectators at Driffield's Elmswell Farms, showcasing 10 regional styles.

Josie Muncaster, 31, styles her hedges in that of her home county, Cheshire.

She said "you don't have to be Superman" to take up the activity, but that she no longer "needs to go to the gym, which is nice".

As he enjoys an autumn walk in the woods near his home in the New Forest, Bill Reynolds has noticed "things have altered a bit".

"There are a lot of oak trees here - they seem to be late in developing the autumn colours.

“I think the difference is about a fortnight, and it’s slowly getting later still”.

He has been taking photos of the area for several years and sharing them on his Southampton to the New Forest Facebook group where other members have also spotted trees staying greener for longer.

"I'm just a layman, but it's what I've noticed - it's not happened overnight, it's being going on for some time," he added.