Owain Shaw
Publications
Publications
Browse a selection of our publications here, including our annual reports and accounts, independent and partnership publications, as well as policy and position statements.
Annual Impact Reports
This annual report gives an overview of our impact in the year 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024, including key statistics, stories and highlights - from the area of land we manage and influence for wildlife, to measuring the impact of volunteering on peoples' mental health.
Annual Reports and Accounts
The Wildlife Trusts Publications
Nextdoor Nature 2022-2024
(c) Gavin Dickson (image) MEL Research (report) The Wildlife Trusts (design)
An independent report from MEL Research that was commissioned to examine the impact and outcomes of the National Lottery Heritage Funded project, Nextdoor Nature. The project brought people and communities together to help nature flourish where they live and work.
Wild Science 2024
A Wildlife Trust report that provides an evidence-based assessment of the critical role nature plays in addressing the climate and nature crises. It highlights how scientific research, monitoring, and innovation are crucial to understanding the true value of nature for human well-being and developing solutions for nature's recovery.
Changing Nature: A Climate Adaptation Report for The Wildlife Trusts
The Wildlife Trusts’ first climate risk assessment, Changing Nature, examines the impacts of the changing climate across their estate, which covers nearly 400 square miles. It assesses the risks and looks ahead at what is needed to help nature adapt and survive in the future. The findings come at a time when the UK is already one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.
Let Nature Help - COP26 Edition
Climate action needs nature. Nature needs climate action. Neither will succeed if we don’t prepare for a changing world.
What's the damage
A Wildlife Trust report on why current plans for HS2 will cost nature too much, resulting in local extinctions and loss of valuable habitat.
Every Child Wild
A Wildlife Trusts report on why we believe every child has the right to be wild. With fewer than 10% of children playing in natural areas, we explore why time spent in nature is important, and what we're doing about it.
Celebrating the Landfill Communities Fund
This 2014 report is a recognition of the immensely valuable role the Landfill Communities Fund has played, and continues to contribute towards, achieving practical nature conservation on the ground across the UK. It showcases some of the vitally important work the Fund has supported, from creating new reedbeds in the Great Fen, to conducting detailed surveys of the seabed in Dorset.
The Rothschild List: 1915-2015
In order to assess what has happened to the places on Rothschild’s List over the past century The Wildlife Trusts set out to collect as much information as we could using desktop research to measure the current state of the 284 Rothschild Reserves. Read our conclusions in the 2015 review.
Housing Principles Briefing
This briefing explores current issues and sets out The Wildlife Trusts’ principles for home-building which will actively contribute to reducing climate impacts, help nature to recover and tackle health inequalities.
Housing and Nature Report
This independent report was commissioned to explore the economic reasons behind the housing crisis and research ways solutions for development to contribute to reducing the nature, climate, health and housing emergencies.
Partnership Publications
The State of Nature Report
The 2019 State of Nature report was produced by a partnership of over 70 organisations involved in the recording, researching and conservation of nature in the UK and its Overseas Territories. It is the third report of its kind published, with the first having been published in 2013 and the second in 2016.
Read the 2019 report
Read the 2016 report
Read the 2013 report
Jordans Farm Partnership Impact Report
Our partnership with Jordans Cereals helps the farmers who grow their oats to farm in harmony with nature. Our impact report shows how Wildlife Trust advisors have been helping the farmers achieve this.
Read
The Nature and Wellbeing Act
In 2016 The Wildlife Trusts, along with the RSPB and partners, called for a Nature & Wellbeing Act, that would set the world's first legally binding targets for nature's recovery in a generation. Over 9,000 people contacted their MPs about the Act before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the 2015 General Election.
This document sets out the purpose of the act and its impacts on the country's health and economy. It includes examples of how we and our partners put the ideas of the Act into practice to make a difference today.
The Green Wildlife Guide for Boaters
Published in 2017 to advise boaters on how to get the best experience out of their wildlife encounters by acting responsibly and cautiously to minimize the risk of disturbance while keeping participants and their boats safe.
Policies and Position Statements
Climate Action - Our Collective Approach
Read The Wildlife Trusts' position on climate change. This reflects the views of all 46 Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts.
Planning a new way forward
This report, for the first time, calls for people’s access to nature to be set in law. Planning – a new way forward: how the planning system can help our health, nature and climate, comes at a critical time for the Government’s Planning White Paper and the recently announced “pause” on planning reform. The newly named Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has a huge opportunity to ensure the planning system improves lives by levelling up access to nature.
Read
Quantifying the potential impact of nature based solutions on greenhouse gas emissions from UK habitats
Wildlife and natural habitats play a valued role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies. This report was commissioned to give The Wildlife Trusts technical insight into the scientific evidence that is currently available on the relationship between habitat creation, restoration and management, and atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) levels.
Read report
The Nature Recovery Handbook
The Wildlife Trusts are calling for the creation of national networks for nature’s recovery. These will need to be spatially planned so that action can be targeted to where it will be most effective to form an ecologically coherent, resilient network of sites that will enable nature to recover and thrive. The Handbook draws on the expertise from across The Wildlife Trusts movement in planning and implementing networks for nature.
The case for more Marine Conservation Zones
In this 2016 report, The Wildlife Trusts set out their case for an interconnected network of Marine Conservation Zones. The report highlights the importance of protected marine areas, not only for the recovery of fragmented habitats, but for the longevity of our living seas.
Towards a Wilder Britain
Read 'Towards a Wilder Britain' our proposals for a Nature Recovery Network of joined-up habitats to help wildlife and people to thrive.
What next for farming
'What next for farming?' report into future agriculture policy
Read our recommendations for a future agriculture policy after the UK leaves the EU. Published in January 2018.
Nature and wellbeing
From 2015-17 the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Essex carried out research on behalf of The Wildlife Trusts, to:
■ Study the mental wellbeing of volunteers on Wildlife Trust projects
■ Collect information from projects across The Wildlife Trusts to evaluate their impact on people’s health and wellbeing
■ Review the scientific literature, to investigate whether nature-rich environments had any specific impacts on people’s health and wellbeing
The findings are particularly important for people who live with a mental health condition. The research showed that nature volunteering had the most significant impact on those with low levels of mental wellbeing at the start of the project.
An evaluation of the health and wellbeing impacts of volunteering for 12 weeks with Wildlife Trusts found:
- 60% reported becoming more physically active
- New volunteers trebled the number of days they were physically active
- 83% improved their mental wellbeing
A Natural Health Service
A summary of research carried out by University of Essex and Leeds Beckett University for The Wildlife Trusts
Social Return on Investment
Analysis of the health and wellbeing impacts of Wildlife Trust programmes
The health and wellbeing impacts of volunteering with The Wildlife Trusts
A scientific evaluation of the health and wellbeing impacts of Wildlife Trusts volunteering programmes
An independent assessment for The Wildlife Trusts: by the University of Essex Protecting Wildlife for the Future
The direct and indirect contribution made by The Wildlife Trusts to the health and wellbeing of local people
Read
A literature review for The Wildlife Trusts: By the University of Essex
Wellbeing benefits from natural environments rich in wildlife
Water vole ©Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
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Undersea landscape, Lundy - Alexander Mustard/2020Vision
What we do
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