UK Government publishes revised Environmental Improvement Plan — fungi now part of the agenda
On 1 December 2025 the UK government formally published an updated version of its Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP 2025), setting out a strengthened commitment to restoring nature, improving environmental quality, and supporting sustainable land use across England.
Among the key aspects of the new plan is a major injection of funding for “landscape-scale nature recovery,” including woodland expansion, habitat restoration and support for sustainable farming schemes.
While much of the media commentary has focused on cleaner air, rivers, tree-planting and expanded green spaces, the publication of the revised plan comes at a moment when fungi are gaining overdue recognition in conservation policy. Earlier in 2025 the government ecological advisers and conservation bodies have begun to explicitly acknowledge the importance of fungal communities for soil health, woodland resilience and broader ecosystem health.
In particular, a recent report by Natural England described 2025 as “a landmark year for England’s fungi,” noting progress such as the expansion of fungal species assessments, the initiation of a first-of-its-kind national Red List for non-lichenised fungi, and the creation of a new collaborative network for fungal conservation.
The integration of fungal conservation into mainstream environmental strategy represents a notable shift. For too long fungi have been overlooked in policy frameworks that focus on plants and animals, even though they play essential roles in nutrient cycling, soil structure, carbon sequestration and sustaining plant communities. The earlier neglect — for instance in the previous 2003 version of the EIP — is increasingly seen as a serious omission. The current update thus signals a growing understanding that fungi belong at the heart of any serious plan for nature recovery.
At the Refungium Project we welcome this development. Our core mission — to highlight, research and promote the ecological value of fungal life — aligns closely with the direction the government is now taking. The landscape-scale habitat restoration, sustainable woodland and soil-health measures set out in the EIP present a real opportunity for fungi to be embedded into long-term nature recovery strategies.
We believe this acknowledgement of fungi’s place in the web of life is long overdue. In the coming weeks Refungium will publish a series of articles and practical guides to show how fungal conservation can be integrated into habitat restoration, agroecology and community land-use projects — and how ordinary people, community growers and land-managers can play a part.
The shift signalled by EIP 2025 is a step in the right direction — but only a first step. We look forward to working with farmers, growers, conservation bodies and communities to ensure that fungi receive the recognition and protection they deserve.
