My perspective
Ben grew up at the Naze paddling in the sea and looking for sharks’ teeth. After graduation, he returned to the landscape he loves to help local people experience the wonders of the natural world…
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Chwilio
Mountain hare
The mountain hare lives in the Scottish Highlands and the north of England. They are renowned for turning white in winter to match their upland surroundings.
Sand and gravel
Sand and gravel can be found from the shoreline down to the deep sea, attracting a host of burrowing creatures.
Flat periwinkle
These little sea snails are found amongst the seaweed on rocky shores around much of the UK. They come in lots of different colours, from bright yellow to chequered brown!
Contact your MP
By writing to your MP or meeting them in person, you can help them to understand more about a local nature issue you care passionately about.
Brown rat
The brown rat has a bad reputation, but it mostly lives side-by-side with us without any problems. It can be seen in any habitat.
Razor shell
Their long narrow shells are a common sight on our shores, especially after storms, but the animals themselves live buried in the sand.
Spiny spider crab
The spiny spider crab lives up to its name in every way! Their distinctive spiny shells are often found washed up on beaches.
Yellow star-of-Bethlehem
The Yellow star-of-Bethlehem is a woodland plant that lives up to its name - it displays starry, gold flowers in an umbrella-like cluster in early spring.
Types of development and planning applications
Planning permission is generally needed for any development. This means building, engineering, mining or other activity that makes changes to the use of land, or changes to existing buildings. There are exceptions that do not count as development, such as maintenance, changes to the interior of a building, agriculture, forestry and changes to gardens.
Bladder wrack
This brown seaweed lives in the mid shore and looks a bit like bubble wrap with the distinctive air bladders that give it its name.
Hairy shieldbug
This large shieldbug lives up to its name, bristling with long pale hairs. It's a common sight in parks, hedgerows and woodland edges in much of the UK.