Since the difficult birth of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in the early 1980s, nature protections in England have enjoyed periodic – some might say chaotic – growth spurts over the decades. At times neglected, at times abused, the young laws have matured into the complex, rich, defensive and ambitious assemblage that they are today.
Alexa Culver outlines a history of economic, ecological and regulatory crises which have culminated in a major rollback of nature protections in 2025.