The UK’s landscapes and wildlife endured drought, heat and fires that gave way to downpours and floods in 2025 as extreme weather becomes the “new normal”.

The National Trust’s annual review of the year for nature warned the latest in a run of recent drought years was putting “untold strain” on habitats and hitting everything from new trees to natterjack toads.

But there was some good news for nature, as butterflies rebounded from the disastrous wet spring and summer in 2024 and hazel dormice enjoyed the long warm season and fattened up on the mast year for fruit, berries and nuts.