Much of England’s best-loved wildlife remains in serious decline, according to the latest official assessment from the government. Birds and butterflies on farmland have continued their long term downward trend and 75% of over 200 “priority” species across the country – including hedgehogs, dormice and moths – are falling in number.

The Natural Environment Indicators for England also showed that water quality has fallen in the last five years, with just one in five rivers and lakes having high or good status, and the amount of time given by conservation volunteers has also fallen.

However, the sustainability of fisheries has improved, as has the amount of carbon locked up in forests and litter in the seas has begun to decline. The indicators were established by the government’s Natural Environment white paper in 2011, which said it would “put right damage done in previous years” by placing “the value of nature at the centre of the choices our nation must make”.

“This report paints a pretty grim picture of how our wildlife is faring in the countryside,” said Sandra Bell, at Friends of the Earth. “Added to recent new evidence that wild bees have been harmed by neonicotinoid pesticides, it’s clear that if we want to enjoy a thriving natural environment big changes are needed to our farming system. This must be a priority for the government as part of its Brexit strategy.”

Christopher Price, at the CLA, which represents landowners, farmers and rural businesses, said: “This progress report is a tough read for all those who care about our countryside. As we prepare to exit the EU, it is clear that the new [farming and environment] policy must have greater ambition in how it supports farmers and land managers to deliver better environmental outcomes.” On Thursday, a poll showed the public strongly supports stronger post-Brexit environmental policies.

A spokesman for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which published the new report, said: “We have some of the most fantastic wildlife in the world and we are determined to protect our excellent natural resources.”

“We are making good progress – over 100,000 hectares of habitat created or restored, targeted conservation increasing populations of once very scarce species, such as the cirl bunting, and schoolchildren helping to plant at least 10m new trees by the end of this parliament,” the spokesman said. “Although we have seen many clear successes, government cannot create a better natural environment alone – that is why we are working with businesses, farmers, land managers, and communities to achieve our shared ambition of better protecting our precious wildlife.”

Over the last five years, six of the 24 key indicators assessed were deteriorating and 10 showed little or no change, while eight were improving. Eighteen of the indicators were assessed over the longer term, 10 years or more, with seven deteriorating, 3 showing little or no change and eight improving.

Farmland birds fell to the second lowest level ever recorded in 2014, the most recent year for which data was available, 56% lower than in 1970. Farmland butterflies reached their lowest point in 2012 and small increases in the next two years did not significantly alter the overall downward trend. Wintering water birds have also declined in the last five years.

Christine Reid, at the Woodland Trust, said: “It’s hard to be positive about the state of our wildlife when reading these figures, which is why we need government to deliver a 25-year plan for the environment which can truly enable positive change.” A comprehensive 25-year plan for the environment due to be published by the end of 2016 has been postponed by the Brexit vote.

Reid said: “It’s about people power too. We saw the reaction when our public forests were at risk of being sold off – people care about the environment – but it can take the threat of loss to motivate. So make a change now; create a wildlife habitat, help preserve a local conservation area or campaign for ancient woodland.”