Project to protect 'lost' spider gets funding boost

A conservation project aimed at protecting the critically endangered diamond-backed spider has received a significant funding boost from the UK government. The National Trust was awarded £50,458 from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) under the Species Recovery Programme to support ongoing research and conservation efforts. The spider, once thought extinct, was rediscovered in 2017 and is currently known to survive only at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire. The funding will enable the National Trust to deepen its understanding of the spider’s behavior, particularly its breeding patterns, which remain largely unknown as no gravid females have yet been found. The project is being carried out in partnership with the British Arachnological Society, with plans to conduct genetic analysis to trace the species’ origins and surveys of nearby heathlands, including Sherwood Forest and Ashdown Forest in Sussex, where the spider was last recorded in 1969. These efforts aim to identify potential new habitats and expand the spider’s range beyond Clumber Park. Conservationists emphasize the ecological importance of spiders as natural pest controllers that help maintain balanced ecosystems. Gareth Jones, lead ranger at Clumber Park, highlighted that the funding will allow the project to transition from discovery to recovery, creating conditions for the spider to thrive not only at Clumber but potentially in other suitable heathland areas. Dr. Helen Smith of the British Arachnological Society noted that the spider’s future remains precarious due to its limited distribution, but the renewed support offers hope for securing its survival both locally and more broadly across heathlands in Nottinghamshire and beyond.