Natural History encompasses the whole of the natural world and all living things with which we share the planet. It includes plants, animals, even invisible micro-organisms and bacteria which, together, interact in complex ways with the inanimate environment to create living ecosystems.

Many habitats within the Heart of Hadrian's Wall are important in international or national terms and there are many species which have adapted to specific habitats. Some are relatively common in this area but are rare in the rest of the UK and Europe.

Natural History is all around us: not just in wild places and nature reserves but also in our cities, our farmland and our countryside. We are an integral part of this and exert a major influence over it.