Page 3 - Natural World Summer 2018

Our vision for the future Fight for a nwLeowailtrdseglsia/ftnneUedtrwKuis-ssswtusied. se:
green future
1 Nature is normal 6 Recovering seas
Children have trees to Sightings of whales and Imagine being a swift with the
climb, fields to explore other sea creatures are freedom of racing through the skies
and ponds to investigate. increasing. and screaming those wonderful
screeches. How di erent the
2 Green developments 7 Fertile soils patchwork of our towns, cities and
All housing and other Nutrients are staying countryside would look from the air!
development creates a locked in soils rather than You’d search for places with abundant insects to
net gain for wildlife. eroding and blowing eat and safe places to nest. It wouldn’t be easy
3 Wilder cities away. finding food because in recent years insects have
Green roofs, green walls, declined so dramatically. There are not many
pocket parks and trees 8 Restored uplands invertebrates left in our parks and arable fields, but
are common. Instead of just close- lucky swifts may find a Local Wildlife Site. Here
4 Buzzing countryside grazed grasslands, the there may be up to 800 di erent species
Farmland is crisscrossed trees and peat bogs are compared to less than 100 in a typical playing field.
by colourful habitat for back, reducing flooding In Local Wildlife Sites soils are healthy, plants can
wild pollinators. and locking up CO2 from flourish and biodiversity, including insects, can
the air. thrive.
Protecting, managing and expanding the
5 Long-term fisheries network of Local Wildlife Sites is central to the
All fishing is sustainable work of The Wildlife Trusts who regularly advise
and jobs are secure. local authorities, farmers and developers to this
end. The recent Agriculture Command Paper,
88 published by the Westminster Government,
supports greater investment in wildlife in England,
and Trusts are campaigning across the UK to
ensure that such investment happens, not least in
Local Wildlife Sites.
However, government budgets for farming will
be squeezed, and there is growing pressure to
remove perceived barriers to infrastructure and
built development, like Local Wildlife Sites. To
ensure the voice of wildlife is heard over the
cacophony of Brexit, we’ve been campaigning
under the banner of #ActSwiftly. It’s vital that all
governments hear from as many people as
possible about the need to make the right
decisions about new farming and planning policy.
We’re determined that the future should be
about nature’s recovery. Your support for your
Trust is helping protect wildlife for the future.
Thank you from the swifts.

2

Stephanie Hilborne OBE
Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts
@stephhilborne

Read the report and Wherever you are in the UK, your Wildlife Trust is standing up for
join our campaign on wildlife and wild places in your area and bringing people closer to
nature. Contact us on enquiry@wildlifetrusts.org or 01636 677711.
wtru.st/natnet To join your Wildlife Trust, visit wildlifetrusts.org/joinus. Natural
World, The Kiln, Waterside, Mather Road, Newark, Notts NG24 1WT.
Editor Rupert Paul Layout editor Dan Hilliard Communications
Manager Lucy McRobert. Cover: Basking shark feeding o the Isle
of Coll, by Alex Mustard/2020Vision.

twitter @wildlifetrusts facebook.com/wildlifetrusts

SUMMER 2018 NATURAL WORLD 3