Defend Nature

A healthy and safe natural world brings huge benefits to people, as well as to wildlife.

But wildlife and wild spaces across the UK are under huge pressure - in particular, from warm words from Ministers and MPs and from stated Government commitments that don't turn into action. When we act together, we can #DefendNature. 

You defended nature from policy changes...

Thousands of passionate campaigners backed our work along with many others to try and shape the Retained EU Law (REUL) Act, which is now law. The Act now gives Ministers sweeping powers to remove or replace thousands of environmental laws, without public consultation or scrutiny by Parliament. We campaigned against this because we feared that the consequences could be more rivers poisoned, more wild places at risk of damage and even more species facing extinction. 

Today those fears are being realised. Even after some very strong public reassurances that the natural world would be safe from harm once the Act was passed, we see the UK Government continue to break its promises and proposing changes that could cause serious problems - like, for example, amending rules which protect rivers in England from pollution. 

Social media can be a powerful vehicle for change and a quick way to add your voice to the #DefendNature conversation.

We need to make it clear to our political leaders that we want them to represent us and take a stand against the recent announcements.

The templates below are a great place to start, but the more personal the letter the more of an impact it makes. For example, you could mention local wild places that are important to you, draw on examples in your area where nature is under threat or describe why defending nature is important to you and your family.

We believe the UK Government has launched a full-scale attack on nature – leaving wildlife unprotected by tearing up some of the most fundamental laws we’ve got.

New planning laws and ‘investment zones’ announced on Friday 23^rd September represent a ‘free-for-all’ on nature by weakening the laws previously in place to protect it from bulldozers and concrete. The new Retained EU Law Bill could also see the end of basic protections, leading to the loss of designated wildlife sites and a relaxation on pollution laws, resulting in more sewage in our rivers and streams.

What’s more, the UK Government is also reviewing the new system that has been developed to reward farmers that help to restore the environment. Reports suggest that instead they might revert back to the old system of paying farmers depending on how much land they own (with larger landowners receiving more subsidy). This is a complete about turn on the farming reform the Conservation Party promised to deliver in their election manifesto in 2019.