The UK boasts some incredible wildlife, but with development, climate change, agriculture and fishing, none of it can be taken for granted. Kath Hudson discovers how Stephanie Hilborne, CEO of The Wildlife Trusts charity, wants to involve everyone in preserving British nature

Never has there been a more important time for The Wildlife Trusts to exist. According to Stephanie Hilborne, CEO of the charity, the latest big report on the state of nature sounded a real wake-up call, establishing that more than half of the UK species studied have declined in number since 1970. 

“Wildlife is struggling with threats from development, infrastructure projects, climate change challenges, and fishing and agricultural practices, which have a detrimental impact on nature,” she says. “It’s shocking that so much of the wildlife I remember from my childhood is no longer common – even the number of house sparrows is decreasing, and hedgehogs are under threat from habitat loss.”

Most of the laws that protect wildlife and the environment are tied to the UK’s membership of the EU, including the strongest legislation for protected wildlife sites and effective regulations that manage sea and river pollution.

Although Brexit brings huge challenges, it could also bring opportunities to safeguard and enhance protections, and create a greener UK for future generations, but these will need to be fought for to ensure the position improves rather than weakening.

The UK-wide movement of 47 Wildlife Trusts has its work cut out. Fortunately, it has the passionate Hilborne at the helm, plus the support of 45,000 volunteers, who are prepared to do everything from hay making to river clearance, and 800,000 members who will dig deep when called on. They recently rallied to an urgent appeal to buy a nature reserve in Norfolk, which is an important wetland home for birds like the booming bittern. 

Wildlife guardians
The Wildlife Trusts manage around 2,300 nature reserves in the UK, including bogs, moors, ancient woods, wildflower meadows, heaths, inner city nature parks, caves, lakes, islands, beaches, cliffs, disused quarries and marine conservation projects around the coast. It runs 107 visitor and education facilities, ranging from small wooden buildings to state-of-the-art, eco-friendly, visitor centres, complete with cafés and shops.

As well as campaigning and lobbying government, the Trusts have a bottom-up approach, inspiring people to get out and have fun in nature. More than 12 million people visited its nature reserves last year, taking part in a range of activities that included photography days, kingfisher walks, bee identification and hedgehog habitat workshops – and even wild yoga at Woodberry Wetlands in London.

“For more than a century The Wildlife Trusts have been saving, protecting and standing up for wildlife and wild places, increasing people’s awareness and understanding of the natural world, and deepening their relationship with it,” says Hilborne. “We help people get outdoors and be active, offering something for every age group, from nature tots to activities with care homes. Inspiring future generations is hugely important, and encouraging an early love of wildlife in children has been a central part of our work for decades.”

With support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, The Wildlife Trusts have established a number of life-changing Forest School programmes for hundreds of schoolchildren in inner cities. The Trusts oversee Our Bright Future, a programme funded by The Big Lottery which gives skills and opportunities to teenagers and young adults to boost their confidence and create the next generation of leaders. The Trusts’ junior branch has more than 150,000 members and runs more than 200 Wildlife Watch clubs, leading activities like bushcraft skills, nature walks and rock pooling.

Building partnerships
As well as delivering fun, engaging programmes across the country, the Trusts seek to develop partnerships with local stakeholders, such as farmers and producers. One success story is the forging of a partnership with the farmers who grow cereals for Jordans, who have pledged to manage 10 per cent of their land for wildlife. 

“Many recognise that wildlife friendly farming is good for us all and can make economic sense too. Where would we be without bees to pollinate our crops?” says Hilborne. “We all need to recognise that farming is not only about food production, but wider benefits like flood alleviation and clean water too.”

The Trusts are also working with developers to create more holistic ways of building. “Where it’s in the wrong place or too damaging to wildlife, The Wildlife Trusts oppose development, but housing estates don’t have to be wildlife-free zones,” says Hilborne. “We work with developers on more holistic ways of building, such as using natural surroundings like existing old trees and hedges, and developing green corridors to create gains for nature and better health for residents.”

Saving our seas
Hilborne is eager to secure a bold Environment Act that restores wildlife and wild places and recognises the value of nature. “We know people care deeply about the natural environment and cherish our wild places on land and at sea, so we need the government to act,” she says. “We need an ambitious, visionary and long-term recovery plan for nature: one that sets measurable aims to which government can be held to account and that is adequately resourced.”

The Wildlife Trust is currently working with a coalition of environmental groups to ensure environmental protections are not diluted post-Brexit. They are also talking to MPs about how joined-up policies can benefit everyone: for example, managing the land to alleviate floods, provide cleaner air and stop precious soil being washed away.

Having been damaged and neglected over decades, the seas and marine life also face big challenges and this is another area of focus. “We want to restore natural ocean processes and enable seabed habitats to recover so our seas adapt well to climate change, improving the resilience of the natural environment,” says Hilborne. “We are championing the designation of a joined-up and well managed network of protected marine areas around the UK. But we also need to ensure that there is space for the sustainable maritime industries and activities to support a sustainable blue economy.”

Hilborne says that investing in nature is investing in all of our futures, because spending time in nature is so good for physical and mental health and wellbeing. “Quite simply, we want to see a greener UK, with wildlife-rich landscapes and seas. This is essential for our health, well-being and prosperity,” she says.

“My plans for the future are to keep on standing up for wildlife – both on land and at sea. I believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife and wild places in their daily lives, and I want to make that a reality. The Wildlife Trust believes everyone can make a positive difference, and by working together we can ensure nature thrives, and bring people closer to wildlife.”