Wildlife Trusts across the country, including in the North East, have announced a new strategy to put nature in recovery by 2030.
The Wildlife Trusts new Strategy 2030, launched today (April 28), shows how people will be at the heart of vast nature restoration projects that will aim to reverse the decline of nature. New plans announced could help people to experience nature in a way they never have previously, with large, populated areas butting up against large rewilded landscapes, says the charity.
The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and with 41% of species in decline since the 1970s plus 15% of species at risk of extinction, urgent action is required to stop hedgehogs, water voles and red squirrels disappearing forever. Northumberland Wildlife Trust, and the wider network across the country, plan to empower people to reverse that trend.
The three new goals that the Wildlife Trusts have are to put nature in recovery by making more space for it, connecting habitats on a large scale, restoring the abundance of nature and enabling ecosystems to function again; to inspire one in four people to take action for nature by working with communities, especially young people, to rewild their neighbourhoods; and to enable nature to help humanity so that wild places store carbon, prevent flooding, reduce soil erosion, aid pollinators and support people's wellbeing.
Mike Pratt, Chief Executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: "Nature needs people to act now before it’s too late and we can all be part of the effort to restore our natural world at the scale so desperately needed.
"In our region we’ve found that people want to get involved to enable this to happen. It’s up to us all - businesses, landowners, schools, governments, and individuals - to heal our natural world."
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Craig Bennett, Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trusts, said: "The situation is dire and nature needs to be put in special measures - we must ramp up action as never before by triggering a decade of nature restoration. Conservation of the wildlife and habitats that remain is no longer enough because what we’ve got left is so fragmented and diminished. In the past we’ve focused on preserving habitats and species - now we need to restore the abundance of nature, and with it, the ecosystem processes that’ll get nature working again.
"Despite the huge loss of wild places and wildlife that depends on them, there is hope. The UK has committed to protecting and managing 30% of land for nature by 2030 and we’re going to be working with all national governments and local authorities to make sure this happens."
Liz Bonnin, President of the Wildlife Trusts said: "We can succeed at putting nature into recovery if we all work together as one interconnected community. Our precious ecosystems – all interconnected and interdependent themselves – need to be able to do their job in maintaining the health of our planet.
"The Wildlife Trusts’ Strategy is harnessing the tremendous amount of expertise from all 46 Trusts to restore our wild places, putting people at the heart of it all. It’s time to fall in love with our planet again, and become the responsible custodians it deserves."
To find out more about the Wildlife Trusts' Bringing Nature Back 2030 strategy, click here.
