A Home for the Great Crested Newt

Boothby Wildland, February 2024

Boothby Wildland is playing a crucial role in the conservation of the great crested newt, a species that has experienced a significant decline in recent years due to habitat loss and degradation. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) estimates that only around 100,000 great crested newts remain in the UK.

In partnership with Natural England and NatureSpace, as part of their Network Rail Organisational License, we’ve been restoring and adding vital habitats for great crested newts across the Boothby Wildland site. Eight new ponds have been created, alongside the restoration of an existing pond, where we discovered our very own great crested newt eggs during the survey process.

Great crested newts need ponds to breed in, but this habitat has been lost from across the landscape over the last 100 years. By creating and restoring ponds we’re supporting great crested newt populations whilst also providing an important habitat for a myriad of other wildlife. 

One of our values is ‘collaboration multiplies impact’ and our partnership with these three organisations is a great example of this.