Ellie Ward

Principal Policy Officer @WCL_News 🌳 MSc Biodiversity, Conservation and Management & BA Geography @OxfordGeography 🌍 All views my own 🌷 she/her

[Kent Wildlife Trust @KentWildlife]

🕷️Warning, this is not an April fools!

With @WildlifeTrusts, @Buzz_dont_tweet, @CPREKent , @WCL_News , and @sspcampaign, we’ve written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, challenging misleading claims about housing development in Ebbsfleet.

In his recent editorial, @Keir_Starmer suggested that 15,000 homes were blocked because of the distinguished jumping spider. This is not true.

🏡 The reality? 13,700 of the homes are still being built. The only area protected is a nationally important Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on the Swanscombe Peninsula, home to invertebrate species, rare plants, and threatened birds like the nightingale & marsh harrier.

🔎 The spider? Not even found in the planned housing area.

❌ Nature vs. Development is a false choice. We need sustainable solutions that integrate environmental protections, not undermine them.

🌿 We’re inviting the PM to visit Swanscombe, to see firsthand how conservation and responsible development can work together.

📢 Protecting nature is not blocking progress. It's about building the right homes in the right places.

Read our letter in full and find out how to take action Spidergate 👉https://t.co/NjOS9ep9hC

#SwanscombeSSSI #NatureMatters #SustainableDevelopment

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

Fines on polluting water companies must be strong enough to form a deterrent to environmental damage🫧

But Government must go further & ensure fines will be used to fix the damage caused by polluters🪙

We've teamed up with @theriverstrust & more to call for Water Restoration Fund to be included in the Water (Special Measures) Bill📜

Read more via @luciemheath👇

https://t.co/tiPoNes1zC

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

The Prime Minister was wrong to blame nature protection & regulators for stopping development🏡

Read our joint letter to @Keir_Starmer calling for an urgent meeting to discuss how #nature & sustainable development can go hand-in-hand👇

https://t.co/pfdtk59dng

📷Cassie Crocker

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

Small waters play a BIG role for nature🫧

From ditches to streams, they support a huge range of wildlife from frogs to birds🐸

We're backing the Small Waters Charter - calling for changes including habitat restoration & creation of new small waters👇

https://t.co/neaygTNMzE

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

Planning reform is vital to delivering more housing, low-carbon infrastructure, & more space for nature🏡

But it's wrong of @Keir_Starmer to blame environmental regulation for bad planning🦇

Watch @RSBenwell on speeding up planning without compromising on our environment👇

[Richard Benwell @RSBenwell]

Planning isn't a "chokehold" on growth. It's there to ensure sustainable growth.

Bats didn't hold up HS2. Politics & mismanagement did.

Sad to see @Keir_Starmer's caricature of regulators as blockers. It'd be utter short-termism to ditch planning rules for a quick economic hit.

[Richard Benwell @RSBenwell]

We've been talking to DEFRA about improving the Water Bill by:
🩵giving Ofwat a nature & climate duty
🩵extending pollution plans to water-only companies 🩵boosting nature-based solutions.

Today Minister @SueHayman1 has acted on all these points.

Great collaborative approach.

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

🚨 With 85% of UK river stretches falling below ecological standards, urgent action is needed 🌊

In today's blog, Emily MacAulay from @theriverstrust looks at how an Environmental Rights Bill could help turn the tide and bring our rivers back to life👇

https://t.co/gZXWCLb14S

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

Just 6 years left to meet target to protect 30% of England's land & sea for nature by 2030⌛️

Our latest update shows giant strides are needed, as protected land falls to 2.93% while sea lags at 9.92% 🥀

We need a rescue plan for nature🚨

Read more👇

https://t.co/e8Fe5iAqdp

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

Our analysis of water company business plans shows they’re thinking too much grey & not enough green👎

Investing more in measures like reedbeds & wetlands would give homes for wildlife & help clean up our rivers🌊

Story via @StephSpyro👇

https://t.co/EM9qdPnklD

[Ali Morse @this_damselfly]

Views from the environmental sector submitted to @Ofwat’s consultation on water company Business Plans this week.
https://t.co/XHaCIT3LuT
TLDR? Making punishing cuts may short-change the environment, not penalise companies. Customers expect better. (1/4)

[Richard Benwell @RSBenwell]

When the last Government created the Water Restoration Fund it said polluter "penalties will go straight into our new Water Restoration Fund".

Last week, 3 water companies were fined £168m, but it's going straight to Treasury. Shouldn't #polluterpays money fund #nature recovery?

[Angling Trust @AnglingTrust]

We'd rather the pollution didn't happen, but where it does, we join our friends @theriverstrust, @WildlifeTrusts, @RiverActionUK, @sascampaigns, @WCL_News & @nationaltrust to insist @hmtreasury ensure the “polluter pays” to clean up & ringfence fines for environment restorations.

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

Money paid up by water companies must be used to deliver for nature🪙

We're joining @WildlifeTrusts, @theriverstrust, @AnglingTrust & more to call on fines to be reinvested in green projects such as creating reedbeds & wetlands🫧

By @luciemheath 👇

https://t.co/NRX8oKFPzv

[Restore Nature Now @RNNMarch]

Just 7 days until we head to the polls to decide our next Government📝

It's clear that the public are firmly behind a better future for nature, so whoever is in power after the General Election must make environmental action a top priority🌱

#RestoreNatureNow

https://t.co/NoKexC4ZuN

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

What a day - tens of thousands of people rallying in London, calling on all politicians to #RestoreNatureNow

As polling day gets ever nearer, parties must take notice of public support for nature action📝

Watch via @Channel4News👇

https://t.co/btuOoVwbJq

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

60,000 people have marched to Parliament Square today - all calling for one clear action from politicians👇

Commit to the laws & changes we need to #RestoreNatureNow

We're proud to have marched alongside @Natures_Voice @wwf_uk & many others

Read more: https://t.co/5EBJxVIL5c

[Restore Nature Now @RNNMarch]

This time tomorrow, thousands will be marching to Parliament!

Everyone ready?! Last chance to share the message that nature needs you! Stand up and make noise!

#RestoreNatureNow

[Restore Nature Now @RNNMarch]

The programme is here! 🤩

From the re-wilding to the war on want - the meditation to the music - the bird song to the big sing - the the programme is broad and wide, and we can't wait for you to come and soak it all in!

This Saturday Park Lane to Parliament Square. Noon onwards. #RestoreNatureNow

[Wildlife and Countryside Link @WCL_News]

🌎It’s #WorldEnvironmentDay! If you do one thing for nature today please pledge to march with us on 22 June

🚶🏾‍♂️Thousands of people are taking to the streets of London to demand that our politicians #RestoreNatureNow👇

https://t.co/KvsgM4ctRi