Otter by Luke Massey
Nature and climate are in crisis
In a decade that has brought us a pandemic, war in Europe and a cost of living crisis, one issue has united us all here at BBOWT - the nature and climate crisis.
Local wildlife populations are in steep decline and our climate is in chaos. This is arguably the biggest threat to life on earth faced by our generation, and nobody is immune.
Nature is sending an SOS and we must answer the call. It’s never been more urgent. That’s why we have launched the biggest fundraising appeal in our history.
Our expert staff and volunteers work day in, day out to bring wildlife back – more butterflies, more birds, more wild flowers, but need YOUR help to do more.
If you’re able to donate to our Nature Recovery Fund you’ll be helping to create a better future for everyone.
Help bring back nature
Our Nature Recovery Fund aims to raise £3 million in three years to tackle this crisis head on.
It’s an ambitious target, but the potential for positive change right here in our three counties is huge.
BBOWT is in a unique position in our region. We know what the problems are and how to fix them. We have the experience, the specialist staff and an army of volunteers - we just need more green power in our engine.
We must restore nature on a landscape scale we’ve never attempted before and involve more people than ever in our fight to save nature. To hit our target of 30% of land well-managed for nature and a quarter of people acting for nature by the end of the decade, we need to aim much higher.
The nature we know and love is under serious threat. The call of the wild is being silenced. Please help us answer nature’s SOS today.TV presenter, naturalist and BBOWT President
How your gift could help
With your support, we can buy more land to help bring nature back. We can restore more woodland and floodplain to guard against climate change, and inspire communities and young people to care for wildlife. We can work with more landowners, local charities, councils and farmers, to put nature’s recovery first.
Anything you’re able to contribute to support our appeal will be gratefully received. Here are some examples of what your money could do:
Our Nature Recovery Fund will breathe new life into rural and urban areas – helping to create more nature everywhere – which is good for climate and people too. But we all need to do our bit. It’s on us. You, me, all of us. Nature is sending a desperate SOS. Will you answer the call?Chief Executive, BBOWT
YOU can help bring nature back
FAQs
How can I give to the appeal?
A big ‘thank you’ from everyone at BBOWT for choosing to support us! There are various ways you can donate:
Card or PayPal online
Please click on any of the links or buttons displayed above. You will be directed to a form where you can enter and change the amount that you would like to give.
Card by phone
Please call 01865 788300 between 9am and 5pm Monday – Friday.
Cheque/CAF voucher by post
Please send your gift to us at Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, The Lodge, 1 Armstrong Road, Littlemore, Oxford OX4 4XT.
SMS text*
Text RECOVERY followed by your donation amount to 70480 to give that amount.
*Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you’ll be opting into hearing more from us. If you would like to donate but don't wish to hear more from us, please text RECOVERYNOINFO instead.
How much do you need to raise?
Our Nature Recovery Fund, our largest-ever fundraising campaign, has a target of £3 million over three years. It’s an ambitious target – we are asking businesses and grant-givers to support the fund too – but this vital income boost is needed to fast-track our work to create more nature everywhere, for everyone.
Why is this appeal needed now?
We need to be bigger, bolder and wilder to restore nature at scale across our three counties. Our expert staff and volunteers are raring to go, but they need your help - urgently.
Scientists across the world agree that this decade is the last chance we have to address the greatest environmental challenge the world has ever seen. Globally and nationally, wild animals and plants are in steep decline and Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire are sadly no exception.
We rely on nature for everything – the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink - and it supports our health, happiness and even our economy. Yet for too long nature has been destroyed through unsustainable, inappropriate development and intensive agriculture. This must change.
If we’re going to reach our target of 30% of our three counties well managed for wildlife by 2030 we must act now.
Our vision to reach 30% of land rich in wildlife and inspire 1 in 4 people to act for nature is bold, but it’s critical we achieve this by 2030 or it will be too late.
Why are you doing an appeal over three years?
We want to make a big impact, and this means having big goals and a grand scale of the work we want to undertake.
BBOWT feel we need to make a positive step change in the way we are helping wildlife. This means we need to be more ambitious in our targets to highlight the necessity of acting quickly to help nature, climate and people in our three counties.
Why have you chosen these three topics?
Our campaign focuses on Nature, Climate and People – three areas we believe are crucial in creating more nature everywhere, for everyone.
We feel each of these areas is pivotal for the success of our work creating more nature everywhere, for everyone. Here are some reasons why we view each area as needed for this campaign:
- Nature is in crisis. The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. Intensive agriculture and unsustainable development are wiping wildlife off the map. Together we can ensure our reserves and beyond are in top condition for wildlife to thrive.
- The unpredictable climate is threatening the future of the wildlife we know and love, but nature is part of the solution for the climate crisis. We must let nature help.
- People are increasingly disconnected from nature, but we need people from all walks of life to help create more nature everywhere. We need to enable more people to work with us towards nature’s recovery.
What will my donation be spent on?
Our campaign focuses on three key headings of Nature, Climate and People – three areas we believe are crucial in creating more nature everywhere, for everyone.
Here are some examples of work in these three areas:
For Nature: Chalk grasslands
With your help, our expert staff and skilled volunteers can deliver targeted conservation work, like scrub clearance and grazing, where the need is greatest. This crucial land management will help struggling species thrive, such as the Adonis blue butterfly and Chiltern gentian flowers.
For Climate: Nature Recovery Networks
We need to create and link up woodlands, wetlands, hedgerows and floodplains to create wilder corridors and more protected areas for nature to thrive. It’s vital that nature is at the heart of decisions for managing land so we can expand and join up
more habitats for wildlife across our region. With your help we can share our expertise with more landowners and create vast nature recovery networks.
For People: Green Talent
It is vital that we support the next generation of conservationists through schemes like our ‘Developing Green Talent’ trainee programme. We need to increase the number of trainees in all sectors, from conservation to education and community work, and make sure trainees come from all backgrounds and communities. Your support will help us give more people an opportunity to become a ‘green’ leader in their neighbourhood and expand our network across our three counties, bringing nature back to our towns and villages.
Wherever the funds are used, you can be sure it will go towards helping us achieve our key goal of more nature everywhere, for everyone.
The Wildlife Trusts combine local action, with national impact, as part of a global vision for nature’s recovery. They are bringing wildlife back and restoring the natural world we love so much. Please support them as much as you can.President Emeritus of The Wildlife Trusts
