The public aren’t being told about the vital work being done in the British countryside. You can change that today.
You don’t hear much about the good work done by farmers and land managers. How many people in our towns and cities know about the conservation work being done on farms every single day? Their contribution is criminally overlooked.
In contrast, barely a week goes by without a story of serious decline. You will hear about the many species in Britain that are struggling, but it’s time that those working tirelessly on local recoveries got the recognition they deserved.
Almost 80% of land in the UK is managed. It’s also home to some remarkable wildlife. The media and other conservation bodies are failing to tell the whole story. The public don’t know how much our wildlife depend on the dedication of individuals managing their own land. It’s time we did something about it.
Britain’s conservation story is incomplete
You understand the countryside. If you shoot or fish, you see the impact of management on our countryside with your own eyes. You can help us to make sure other people know too. We will promote the story of what’s being done right now on fields and moors across Britain every single day. We’re calling it The Untold Story – the story of the people at the heart of British conservation.
People like Graham Denny who, while turtle doves face extinction elsewhere, has several breeding pairs on his farm thanks to a combination of wildlife-friendly farming and predation management. He is making a real difference and his story deserves to be heard. There are hundreds of men and women across Britain doing what they can for the species they love – be it tree sparrows, great crested newts, bees or curlew. These hardworking people are the blueprint for British conservation.
You’ve used our research - it’s time to share your success stories
Every few years, a group of conservation organisations issues its State of Nature report. It’s given widespread coverage in the media, who love nothing more than a bad news story. Chris Packham launched his ‘manifesto for nature’ this summer, which claims ‘farmers haven’t noticed the loss of three-quarters of skylarks’. Mr Packham clearly hasn’t heard about the Peppering Project in West Sussex, where skylark numbers have gone up by 57%, or the 62% increase at Rotherfield farm in Hampshire.
The next State of Nature report is due next year. With your help, we’ll have the missing chapters ready to share with the press and the public. We won’t stop there. We’re planning a series of roadshows across Britain so that you and anyone else can hear about it in person and share your own success stories.
We’ve already made a start
Earlier this year, we launched our first series of Working Conservationists – a booklet of nine case studies about real people achieving real results on their own land. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said that it “provides a vision of a country of which we can all be proud”. It encouraged the Defra policy team to get out on the ground and see what’s being done for grey partridges. Now is the chance to engage those responsible for wider policy in England, Scotland and Wales.
Help us to tell the untold story of conservation in Britain. We will:
- Increase public awareness of what can be achieved for wildlife in the wider countryside.
- Work with Defra to establish how they can use the work of passionate land managers as part of their 25 Year Plan for the environment.
- Drive a change in those who feel they know better about what’s best for our countryside.
Support us today and we’ll get the message out
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