The Wildlife Trust

The Wildlife Trusts is a movement of 46 charities across the UK, dedicated to restoring wildlife and wild places while connecting people with nature. Their new programme, Transforming Nature’s Recovery, aims to accelerate UK nature recovery by supporting rewilding projects; reintroducing keystone species; and strengthening protections for marine and coastal habitats. 

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world: 40% of species are in decline, over 15% are threatened with extinction, rivers are polluted, seas are overexploited, and many communities lack access to nature. Wild habitats have become fragmented and degraded, losing key natural processes once driven by predators and large herbivores. Reversing these trends is essential for biodiversity and climate resilience. 

With ERF support, The Wildlife Trusts will support the reintroduction of keystone species including lynx and beavers and restore natural grazing systems with large herbivores such as Exmoor ponies. It will also expand marine conservation to protect 30% of Welsh seas by 2030 and launch new landscape rewilding projects including along Hadrian’s Wall, the Welsh Marches, Hertfordshire, the Peak District, and Northern Ireland. These efforts aim to help the UK meet its targets of protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030 and reaching net zero carbon by 2050.