Our Year for Wildlife and Climate: Impact Report April 2024–December 2025

The Wildlife Trusts is a federation of 47 independent charities across the UK and Crown Dependencies, caring for over 2,600 nature reserves and managing 10,120km of watercourses and 112,000 hectares of land. In 2024/25 the movement engaged more than 231,000 children and young people from over 2,400 schools and facilitated 7,300 corporate volunteering days, supported by 945,000 members, 33,000 volunteers and 4,100 staff. Key milestones included the Nextdoor Nature programme reaching over 1,600 communities — eight times the original target — and responding to more than 4,400 planning applications to protect wildlife.

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📋About

Nature reserve management and habitat restoration; species reintroduction including beavers, pine martens and osprey; marine conservation and blue carbon research; green social prescribing partnerships with the NHS; Nextdoor Nature community engagement programme; planning advocacy; youth education and volunteering Custom geography from upload: UK

📊Key Metrics

Over 2,600 nature reserves managed, with 10,120km of watercourses and 112,000 hectares of land under Wildlife Trust management Key Metric 1
945,000 members and 33,000 volunteers supporting 47 Wildlife Trusts, with 7,300 corporate volunteering days facilitated Key Metric 2
More than 231,000 children and young people engaged from over 2,400 schools, colleges, universities and youth groups Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • Nextdoor Nature programme reached more than 1,600 communities — eight times the original target of 200 — with 95% of participants reporting greater collaborative working between residents and local organisations
  • More than 4,400 planning applications responded to across the UK to protect wildlife and wild places from inappropriate development
  • Puffin population on Alderney tripled over 20 years to 330 active nests in 2024; moth thought extinct in England since 1952 rediscovered at Kent Wildlife Trust reserve

📍Geography

Other

2025 Enhanced

Cats Protection Annual Report 2024

191,000 cats and kittens helped — 525 a day (2023: 184,000); 29,000 cats rehomed; 168,000 cats neutered including 13,000 feral cats; 93,000 cats microchipped
Key Metric 1
£96.9 million total income (2023: £89.3 million); £108.5 million net assets; £50.1 million legacy income; 9,800 volunteers (2023: 9,200)
Key Metric 2
430 cat owners helped to flee domestic abuse with 750 cats given temporary foster homes (Lifeline) — up from 229 in 2023; 5.9 million website visits; 1,290 welfare talks to 37,700 people in schools and community groups
Key Metric 3
Mandatory microchipping for cats in England came into force June 2024 — direct result of years of Cats Protection campaigning; Pet Abduction Act came into force August 2024 making cat theft a specific criminal offence; Cat Manifesto sent to every election candidate with 111 newly elected MPs having responded
2025 Enhanced

Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25

32,000 people participated in learning activities; 65,000 volunteer hours contributed; 250,000 biodiversity-boosting plants and bulbs planted; 24,000 snowdrops planted by Royal Parks Half Marathon runners
Key Metric 1
94% of public rated their visit as good or excellent; 5 consecutive years all 8 parks awarded Green Flag; 160,000+ members making 300,000+ visits; membership generated £5.8m plus £814k Gift Aid
Key Metric 2
1,000 free plants donated to local charities, community groups and schools; 200 old noticeboards and maps replaced; 12,500 enquiries handled by visitor support team; Greenwich Park flagship restoration project completed
Key Metric 3
Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden at Regent's Park received planning permission and is progressing — opening Spring 2026; Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground renewal received planning permission — opening Spring 2026; Greenwich Park flagship restoration project completed — new meadows, shrubs, community facilities
2025

Dorset Wildlife Trust Annual Review 2024–2025

26,928 members; 700 volunteers; 21,461 total volunteer hours; 2,862 volunteer days; 96,000+ visitors across 4 visitor centres (Wild Chesil 40,690; Wild Seas Kimmeridge 48,387; Kingcombe 6,286; Brownsea 31,370 in managed area)
Key Metric 1
163 hectares and 15 peatland sites restored; 500 hectares of land impacted through Species Survival Fund across 18 nature reserves; 165 hectares of river habitat improved; 75 juvenile sand lizards reintroduced; 5 new ponds and 17 restored
Key Metric 2
10 priority species recovered through Species Recovery Programme; 1,000 trees planted; 150kg of wildflower seed harvested and sown across 26 new meadows; 97% of past conservation trainees secured employment in sector; 7 traineeships funded in 2024/25
Key Metric 3
26 new meadows created across 35 landowner sites; 97% of conservation trainees secured employment; Brownsea Island welcomed 31,370 people to managed area; Sopley Common dry scrapes yielded 77 heath tiger beetles including one in a brand new scrape