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Taking forward the international agenda for The Wildlife Trusts

After five years at Manx Wildlife Trust as Chief Executive, Leigh Morris has moved into the brand new position of International Director for The Wildlife Trusts. Leigh shares with us his priorities and why we need to work globally to tackle the nature and climate crises in the UK.

Local Action. Collective Impact. Global Change. This is the opening statement in The Wildlife Trusts’ Strategy 2030.  

In it, we are clear that we need to stop and reverse nature declines at scale and at pace to help restore wildlife, stabilise our climate, ensure food security, protect the health and well-being of our communities and much more. We also recognise that this is only possible if we restore nature on land and at sea on a global scale. 

Leigh Morris is stood with two women outdoors, next to a bush. They are all holding seccateurs and he is demonstrating pruning

Leigh delivering horticulture training in the UKOT Montserrat, as part of a UKOTCF project supporting the Montserrat National Trust. 

Following a wonderful five and a half years in the Isle of Man as Chief Executive of Manx Wildlife Trust, I moved to take up the post of International Director on behalf of all the Wildlife Trusts in June 2025. 

This new role aims to make the international conservation and climate change agendas far more relevant to the work carried out across The Wildlife Trusts’ federation. It will also make a clearer link between what we do and the various international commitments - including the Global Biodiversity Framework, as highlighted in our recent ‘Local to Global’ report.  

Over the coming months, my initial focus will be to: 

  • Provide internal steer on key developments in international programmes and treaties: acting as point of contact and a spokesperson on international nature and climate issues – and the role of the UK – including the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change and Global Biodiversity Framework. 
  • Strengthen The Wildlife Trusts’ relationships with IUCN and UN: acting as secretariat on various working groups and attending relevant meetings to push for more urgent action on nature’s recovery at a global level.
  • Co-ordinate our international engagement: engaging in international processes and communicating how we, at The Wildlife Trusts, are contributing globally to driving positive change.
  • Take forward new areas for potential growth in the global arena: developing our international delivery work and identifying partners to support this. 
  • Involve all of the Wildlife Trusts: encouraging, supporting and enabling staff from across The Wildlife Trusts to participate appropriately in our international work. 
Six members of The Wildlife Trusts team at an IUCN Europe Forum Meeting. They are stood in a group, outside, smiling together at the camera. Leigh Morris is one of the members of the group

Wildlife Trusts delegation (including Leigh Morris) at the IUCN Regional Conservation Forum, for Europe and North & Central Asia, Bruges, 2024.

Whilst many know us for our very local, grassroots work – which remains integral to what we do – international work has always been part of our story. The Wildlife Trusts were, in fact, one of the five founding members of IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) in the 1940s/50s, a piece of history of which we are extremely proud.  

This is a tremendously exciting opportunity for me and The Wildlife Trusts. I am looking forward to us collectively making even more of a positive contribution to our planet. 

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