Status and trends of the UK's natural environment

The status of the UK’s natural environment and trends in status changes underpin most of JNCC’s work. That includes the advice we give, the evidence we produce, the reporting we do and the priorities we set for ourselves. Traditionally, trends have been calculated to identify changes in the distribution, extent, status or quality of species and habitats. The task relies heavily on the results from surveillance and monitoring schemes and biological recording.

Where possible the causes of trends are also explored as a means of measuring and addressing environmental pressures. Increasingly, there is also a growing demand for information on changes in ecosystem services (the benefits provided by the natural environment for human well-being) and a desire to have the trends in those services expressed in economic terms.

The status of species is measured by monitoring and surveillance schemes. It is usually expressed in terms of distribution or population size. Habitat status focuses on extent and quality. Ecosystem services are most usefully measured in economically or socially relevant units. The status of species and habitats is also often highlighted by listing or designation processes, which give a status to a species or habitat due to a combination of threat and rarity. We maintain a register of conservation status designations and are involved in various aspects of this work.

The status and trends of species and habitats also provide building blocks that are used to support UK’s commitment to outcome-oriented reporting and assessment. They form the basis of UK and country biodiversity indicators, evidence reports, reports in response to UK reporting obligations and advice.