UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - UKCEH

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - UKCEH Environmental science for a better world, where people and nature prosper Scientific curiosity, integrity and transparency are at the heart of how we work.

At the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, we seek to understand the environment, how it sustains life, and the human impact on it – so that together, people and nature can prosper. We have a long history of investigating, monitoring and modelling environmental change. Our 500 scientists provide the data and insights that researchers, governments and businesses need to create a productive, resilien

t and healthy environment. Our research extends from molecular biology to global climate modelling, and we carry out fieldwork across the world, from the semi-arid West African Sahel to the rainforests of South East Asia. Our focus is on mitigating and building resilience to climate change, preventing and reducing pollution, and creating sustainable ecosystems. We believe that the best solutions are co-designed and co-delivered, and our partnerships cross borders, sectors and disciplines. We are a strategic delivery partner for the Natural Environment Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation.

🚜 We're inviting farmers to sign up for a free Farm Health Check. Our whole-farm environmental analysis will guide actio...
19/06/2026

🚜 We're inviting farmers to sign up for a free Farm Health Check. Our whole-farm environmental analysis will guide actions to increase resilience to climate change and better support wildlife.

Farmers can sign up at our stand (DF C36) at the Groundswell regenerative farming festival at Lannock Farm, Hertfordshire, from 1-2 July.

This is a comprehensive assessment for any farm in Great Britain using data from a combination of satellite and ground-based surveys:

• Detailed mapping showing habitats and landscape features at a resolution of just three metres, including individual trees, hedges, field margins and ponds. The extent and height of hedgerows is also mapped using aircraft-borne laser technology.
• Crop mapping showing the diversity of both food and cover crops grown on the farm in the past 10 years.
• Important information on the farm’s soils including type, how much carbon they are storing and susceptibility to drought and waterlogging.
• An assessment on the potential of the farm to support wildlife including birds, insects, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, and opportunities to support nature recovery.

Those who use Omnia farm management software can give UKCEH access to receive additional assessments on fertiliser and pesticide use.

See our news: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/press/scientists-offer-free-farm-health-checks

The free Farm Health Check is part of the AgZero+ research programme, which supports the UK’s transition towards domestic food production that is sustainable, carbon-neutral and has a positive effect on nature.

https://agzeroplus.org.uk/farm-health-check

The latest Hydrological Summary for the UK has been published:☀️ May was showery and changeable through its first three ...
16/06/2026

The latest Hydrological Summary for the UK has been published:

☀️ May was showery and changeable through its first three weeks but was ultimately defined by an exceptional period of heat in the last 10 days, with a new May and spring temperature record set at Kew Gardens on the 26th (35.1°C).

🌊 May river flows were in the normal to exceptionally low range across most of the UK, and groundwater levels continued to decline, with two new record lows for May.

🗻 Although the dry spring left parts of the UK in water resource deficit, this was less widespread than in 2025, and reservoir stocks remain in the normal range.

☀️ A wet start to June ameliorated immediate drought
concerns at the start of the summer. However, forecasts suggest a drier, more settled end to the month. The latest Hydrological Outlook suggests that river flows in central and southern England are likely to remain below normal over the summer, with flows in the north returning to normal.

Full May summary via https://mailchi.mp/ceh/may-2026-hydrological-summary-has-been-published

11/06/2026

Healthy ecosystems rely on diverse species, including many that go unnoticed. Saltmarsh inhabitants play vital roles in nutrient cycling, soil health, and food webs 💧🐟.

This , we're celebrating some of the unsung heroes of these fascinating environments.

Find out more about the work we are doing in saltmarshes using the link below 👇.

https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/uk-saltmarsh-code/saltmarsh-blue-carbon

🎧 Listen in to the latest episode of Counting the Earth out today 🎧Recorded at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Back garden ...
09/06/2026

🎧 Listen in to the latest episode of Counting the Earth out today 🎧

Recorded at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Back garden biodiversity: 9,600, explores the vital role that our gardens play for wildlife, and how we can help shape them into thriving mini-ecosystems: https://audioboom.com/posts/8913661-back-garden-biodiversity-9-600

At UKCEH’s Nature Decoded exhibit, Alice and Sue meet with UKCEH data scientist Alyssa Duffy, who introduces the innovative biodiversity monitoring technologies on display - from soil and freshwater acoustic sensors to the LepiSense, affectionately known as the ‘moth photo booth’.

They also speak with UKCEH ecologist Dr Michael Pocock about how anyone can contribute to science by recording the wildlife in their gardens using apps like iRecord and the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme and the wellbeing benefits that come from taking part.

The Big British Garden Survey, a collaboration between UKCEH and the National Garden Scheme, offers another way for people to help build a richer picture of the wildlife around us. Dr Richard Claxton, Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme, shares more about this survey and the importance of taking part.

Find out more and listen to the sound of worms, beetles and ants moving through the soil: https://rhschelsea.ceh.ac.uk/

It was a very dry May across the UK, with large parts of south-east England receiving less than half of the average rain...
08/06/2026

It was a very dry May across the UK, with large parts of south-east England receiving less than half of the average rainfall for the time of year.

The Met Office forecast is for about average seasonal rainfall for June-August but river flows in central and much of southern England are expected to remain below normal, according to the latest Hydrological Outlook.

Though flows are likely to be the normal range in those south-east catchments most affected by groundwater levels, as well as in northern Britain.

Groundwater levels are likely to be normal to above normal across most of the UK over the next three months.

There are more details in our latest monthly Hydrological Outlook: https://hydoutuk.net/

28/05/2026

🌼 We had a wonderful week of engagement talking to visitors at RHS Chelsea Flower Show about the value of gardens for wildlife, the innovative technology we use to monitor biodiversity, and the ways in which people can record nature in their gardens with citizen science apps like iRecord.

To top the week our Nature Decoded exhibit in the GreenSTEM zone picked up a silver medal 🎉

Our bright, eye-catching graphics and colourful planting palate of wildlife-friendly and climate-resilient plans attracted a lot of attention in the Great Pavilion, enabling us to talk about our work.

The soundscapes captured by our acoustic monitors proved extremely popular, providing visitors with a chance to listen to worms, ants and ivy mining beetles in soil, plus the sounds of a garden pond, and a biodiversity-rich garden.

🙏🏽 We had tremendous conversations with so many people and organisations during the week, including a few familiar faces - thanks to everyone who stopped by the exhibit.

Read more: https://www.ceh.ac.uk/news-and-media/news/engaging-chelsea-ukceh-nature-decoded

You can hear some of the soundscapes on our RHS Chelsea microsite: https://rhschelsea.ceh.ac.uk/

22/05/2026

80 years of listening.

We know what lakes are telling us, and we’re acting on it.

Now it’s over to us. Everyone can play a part: https://bit.ly/4dYILeB

📷 © UKCEH/ Unsplash

22/05/2026

Big changes start small. On International we highlight some of the actions you can take in your own garden to lend nature a helping hand. Loss of biodiversity threatens wildlife, economies, human health. By acting locally we contribute to a global impact towards reversing loss.

We've been at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show all week talking to visitors about wildlife-friendly planting and encouraging involvement in citizen science. This can range from spending 10 minutes counting insects on flowers, to recording a single species, or all the species you see!

Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/ywuss48f

This World Bee Day, join us counting pollinators 🐝With your help we're gathering data on a wide range of flower-visiting...
20/05/2026

This World Bee Day, join us counting pollinators 🐝

With your help we're gathering data on a wide range of flower-visiting insects. Records from citizen scientists don’t just tell us if species are declining. They help drive real change on the ground like habitat restoration and reduced pesticide use.

Spend 10 minutes counting pollinators in your garden or local green space using the Flower Insect Timed (FIT) Count app from the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme. You only need to record the insect group (like hoverflies, beetles or butterflies) – no expert ID needed.

Get the recording bug! At this week we're talking to visitors about pollinator-friendly plants and how they can get involved with citizen science through projects like the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme and apps like iRecord. We're also supporting the National Garden Scheme's Big British Garden Survey - FIT Counts in your garden are perfect for this too!

The UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme is jointly funded and steered by UKCEH and JNCC, with input from a wider steering group and project partners including Chelsea Flower Show hosts .

Find out more about taking part: https://ukpoms.org.uk/

19/05/2026

Did you know that UK gardens collectively form more green space than all our national nature reserves combined? They are vital mini-ecosystems for supporting biodiversity, wellbeing and climate resilience.

Small actions, big difference: simple actions, like planting wildflowers, reducing pesticides, or recording local species, can make a meaningful difference.

During RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week, we're highlighting wildlife-friendly, climate-resilient plants for UK gardens and encouraging people to record the wildlife they see with our citizen science apps.

🔗 https://rhschelsea.ceh.ac.uk/

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