A major investment which will help to restore Britain’s lost rainforests and reintroduce key species to their natural habitats has been revealed.
The new funding will play an important role in helping the nation achieve its target of protecting a third of its land and sea by 2030.
The Wildlife Trusts announced the launch of a new rewilding programme on Wednesday, which aims to accelerate UK nature recovery, help reverse catastrophic declines in wildlife and assist in the fight against climate change.
The £6 million from the Ecological Restoration Fund will support rewilding, the reintroduction of vital species and better protection for marine and coastal habitats.
It comes as more than 40 per cent of species in the UK are in decline and about 15 per cent in danger of extinction.
The UK is said to be one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with seas at risk from over exploitation and development, rivers dying from agricultural and sewage pollution and many people suffering from a lack of access to nature.
The Wildlife Trusts have already taken measures to reintroduce bison to help improve habitats.
The group is now beginning a major drive to help restore beaver colonies and introduce low-level grazing with large herbivores such as Exmoor ponies, Welsh blacks and Highland cows.
The Wildlife Trusts told The National the funding would be a game-changer in restoring the nation’s lost rainforests.
“Aviva has given us an amazing donation of £38 million to start a really exciting rainforest restoration project and this latest funding will help supplement our rainforest work,” said Emma Robertshaw, head of media at The Wildlife Trusts.
“We are also growing trees and planting tree nurseries.
“We are looking at large herbivores who are grazing animals. They help us to manage large areas of habitat. The larger animals help mimic other animals that grazed the land many years ago.
“Our work with beavers is very important, they are such a fantastic animals for restoring wetlands, which are so badly needed. They are a keystone species and create better habitats for other wildlife to live in as well. They are also helping against climate change.
“The plan is to work towards having beavers living wild across Britain to help us push things in the right direction. This investment is really exciting and will be a game-changer and will really help us start the step-changes that are needed.”
The projects will include moorland restoration in the Peak District across 132 hectares at Ughill Farm to restore heathland alongside nature-friendly farming, reintroducing grey partridges, yellowhammers and curlews.
A nature recovery programme from coast to coast alongside Hadrian’s Wall will encourage farmers and communities to work together.
It is funding peatland restoration in Northern Ireland and marine conservation in Wales.
Temperate rainforests will be restored and expanded in areas where they used to grow along the damper, western flanks of the British Isles.
Dr Rob Stoneman, director of landscape recovery at The Wildlife Trusts, said the projects would help tackle climate change.
“Our bold approach to nature recovery is a highly necessary change of gear that will benefit every single one of us,” he said.
“Restoring and expanding wild places tackles problems of flooding, drought and pollinator decline; this is critical for farming, healthier rivers and seas, and adapting to the changing climate.
“Extinction, pollution and wildfires make headlines with increasing frequency and so it’s vital to go much further with nature recovery across the UK. We must create a place where wildlife, farming and people thrive together; where beavers work their magic and benefit communities; where seas are abundant with marine wildlife, and where there’s easy access to nature to improve people’s lives.
“This game-changing donation from the Ecological Restoration Fund will bolster our work when nature needs us most.”
The programme is designed to help the UK achieve its existing target of protecting at least 30 per cent of land and sea by 2030 and reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Research has highlighted a funding gap of an estimated £56 billion needed to achieve the UK’s nature-related targets over the next decade, The Wildlife Trusts said.
“We're proud to support The Wildlife Trusts in their ambitious vision for UK nature recovery,” said Daniel Hotz, chairman of the Ecological Restoration Fund.
“Recognising that our collective futures are intrinsically bound to the health of our environment, the urgency to address the UK's troubling species decline and habitat degradation is paramount.
“By knitting together and rejuvenating wild spaces, we're not only creating richer habitats for wildlife but also bringing tangible benefits to local communities.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UJDA CHAMAN
Produced: Panorama Studios International
Directed: Abhishek Pathak
Cast: Sunny Singh, Maanvi Gagroo, Grusha Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla
Rating: 3.5 /5 stars
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
RESULT
Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)
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Read more from Mina Al-Oraibi
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
Results
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Al Suhooj, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) 68,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Miracle Maker, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Mazagran, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
3pm Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Alla Mahlak, Adrie de Vries, Rashed Bouresly
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Hurry Up, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh68,000 (D) 1,200m
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
