Donovan Wright
Bring back the UK’s lost wildlife
The UK is home to species found nowhere else on Earth. But immense pressure from decades of pollution and habitat loss has driven wildlife into catastrophic decline. Shockingly, 1 in 6 species in the UK is now at risk of extinction.
Nature is declining at a speed never previously seen and shows no sign of slowing. It is no longer enough to just protect the wildlife that remains – we need the next UK Government to align across departments to put nature into recovery, on land and at sea, by the end of the next Parliament.
Nature is vital to us all – for the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the space to help us feel secure, happy, and healthy. In recent years, we have also seen increasing numbers of people actively looking for ways to access nature close to where they live. Without urgent action to bring wildlife back from the brink, communities across the UK risk bearing an unimaginable cost.
To bring back our lost wildlife and put it on a path to recovery, we’re calling on all political parties to...
Water vole © Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Make more space for nature
To reverse the declines of wildlife, more places are needed for nature. Currently, just 3% of land and 8% of English waters are properly protected for nature – this is nowhere near enough. The next UK Government should launch an Olympic-style cross-government delivery project to protect and restore at least 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030.
Harbour porpoise - Niki Clear
Turning back the tides on coastal habitats
Despite the amazing diversity of habitats and wildlife along Somerset’s fifty miles of coastline, it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. This vibrant piece of coastline includes sand dunes, rocky shores, cliffs, salt marsh, tidal estuaries, mud flats and coastal deciduous woodland, with 80% having environmental protection.
The Wildlife Trusts believe that we cannot afford any further reduction in the quality or quantity of our coastal habitats. Allowing these habitats the space to adjust by relaxing artificially fixed sea defence lines will be essential. We are working towards conservation of all coastal habitats and the wildlife they support. We are also working to raise awareness that managed realignment and habitat restoration is an economically viable and environmentally acceptable solution.
David Parkyn
Bring wild beavers back to every county
Beavers are nature’s finest ‘wetland engineers’. Returning beavers to the wild can be a game changer for restoring lost wetlands and benefitting all kinds of wildlife. Moreover, beavers can help to reduce the risk of wildfires and flooding which threaten people’s homes. Bringing back wild beavers to every county in England is a critical part of addressing the climate and nature crises.
What we want to see is action, not rhetoric; not empty promises but a government that acts. Positive, long term action to help our biodiversity recover.Wildlife TV Presenter and Vice President, The Wildlife Trusts
