An initiative to boost woodland resilience has seen hairy wood ant nests relocated between forests.

Forestry England has moved six colonies, each containing thousands of ants, from Cropton Forest in North Yorkshire to Ennerdale in Cumbria, as part of efforts to restore lost wildlife species and strengthen ecosystems.

Rachel Gardner of Forestry England said the Lake District project aimed to “rebuild complex forest communities” better able to withstand extreme weather, climate change and disease.

Hairy wood ant nests, which can form mounds up to 6.5ft (2m) high, provide habitats for more than 100 species, including beetles, hoverflies, mites, woodlice and other ants.

“[Hairy wood ants] can reduce plant damage by keeping herbivorous pests away,” a spokesman explained.

“However, other herbivores, with adapted ant-defences, can thrive.”

This is the second phase of the scheme, following an earlier relocation this year using a different technique. Early observations suggest the ants were “unaffected by the journey”.

Project lead Hayley Dauben, Forestry England’s species reintroduction officer, said the team would monitor how the colonies settle and compare the results of the two relocation methods.

“The next crucial milestone will be in April 2026 as the ants emerge from their period of winter hibernation,” she added.

The project is being run in partnership with the University of York, and from September the two organisations will support a PhD to study its wider ecological impact at Ennerdale.

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At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about restoring habitats in the UK to halt the decline in our wildlife.