A well known TV star has backed an urgent appeal to save local wildlife

Steve Backshall, British naturalist, explorer, presenter and writer, best known for BBC TV's Deadly 60, is joining the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) to launch their biggest fundraising appeal yet.

Launching today (Monday, October 2), The Nature Recovery Fund aims to raise £3million in three years to help bring wildlife back, and benefit climate and people.

The urgent appeal follows the publication of the State of Nature 2023 report, which found one in six British species at risk of extinction, with birds, amphibians and reptiles under most threat.

In Berks, Bucks and Oxon, habitat loss, climate change, pollution, intensive agriculture, housing developments and infrastructure projects, such as HS2, are impacting hugely on local nature.

Estelle Bailey, Chief Executive of BBOWT, said: “Wildlife in our three counties is disappearing fast - butterflies, wild flowers, hedgehogs, birds, frogs, bees - it’s shocking.

"Unsustainable development and intensive farming are wiping wildlife off the map right here on our own doorsteps, and our climate is in chaos.

“We all need nature, for food, fresh air and water, and for our own wellbeing. And we know we can’t fix the climate crisis without restoring nature, the two go together. The choice is clear: no nature, no future, no us. But it’s not too late.

"Our Nature Recovery Fund will help create more nature everywhere, which is good for climate and people in our three counties too. But we all need to do our bit, urgently.”

The UK is reportedly one of the worst countries in the world for wildlife, with only 53 per cent of its biodiversity left. 97 per cent of our wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s and around 70 per cent of the UK’s ancient woodland is gone.

The Nature Recovery Fund will target three critical areas of BBOWT’s work – nature, climate and people.

The Trust hopes the fund will help protect more land to bring nature back, restore more woodland and floodplain to guard against climate change, and inspire communities and young people to care for wildlife.

The appeal has been backed by life-long nature lover, wildlife presenter, Berkshire resident and BBOWT President Steve Backshall, who said: "We are lucky enough to have otters, kingfishers and a whole array of aquatic bird and invertebrate life appearing across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire every day.

"This is a part of the world I treasure, but we all have a responsibility to look after it.

"Sadly, the nature we know, and love is under serious threat - the call of the wild is being silenced.

“We want to bring nature back - we want to give nature a fighting chance. But we can't do that on our own - we need your help. Nature is sending us an SOS - will you answer the call?”

BBOWT has more than 80 nature reserves, 150 staff and some 1,700 hard-working volunteers.

It’s aiming for 30 per cent of land across the three counties to be well managed for wildlife by 2030 and needs as many people as possible to join the fight to achieve that. 

The Nature Recovery Fund has got off to a flying start, with £160,000 already pledged by some of BBOWT’s most valued and long-standing donors.

You can give to the Nature Recovery Fund at bbowt.org.uk/nrf. You can also donate by texting RECOVERY followed by your donation amount to 70480.