Wildlife advocate and TV presenter Chris Packham has launched the 'People's Manifesto for Wildlife,' that looks to reverse decades of neglect over the fate of British wildlife with over 200 ideas of how we can all help out our two, four and multi-legged friends.
Georgina Wilson-Powell
Mon 24 Sept 2018
At a London march, 10,000 people strong, Chris Packham launched his 'People's Manifesto for Wildlife' a hard hitting campaign aimed at reversing decades of declining wildlife figures and species in the UK.
It's packed with over 200 inspiring ideas that everyone can get involved with, from helping hedgehogs in your garden and primary schools adopting urban trees to government action.
He has teamed up with 17 independent wildlife experts, scientists and campaigners to outline new ways to reverse the ongoing decline of Britain’s wildlife and stop us sleepwalking into a environmental disaster in our fields, hedgerows and forests.
Image 56% of our British wildlife has disappeared over the last 50 years
Britain might look pretty from the car or the air, but the last 50 years have seen a decimation of British wildlife species - 56%. Out of 8,000 species we have here in the UK, 15% are threatened with extinction.
We are sitting at a sad 189 out of 218 when assessed for ‘biodiversity intactness’ thanks to centuries of overexploitation and industrialisation.
Chris Packham said: “This is a people’s manifesto – it’s not devised by the government, and we don’t have to wait for them to do something. We can do it ourselves.
“I want this manifesto to be a first draft to ignite public interest, so that people feel empowered to stand up and say ‘I’ve got ideas as well, and they work’. We know how to solve the problems, we just need to make it happen. If this manifesto can be a catalyst, I’d be delighted.”
Chris Packham addressing the crowds in London at the Walk For Wildlife
Inspired to take action?
As Packham says there are plenty of actions individuals can take. Our wildlife needs you.
To get you started, some of the ideas in the 'People's Manifesto for Wildlife' are below:
- Every primary school in Britain to be twinned long-term with a farm to help children understand farming and food growing.
- Primary school classes to name and own significant urban trees in perpetuity to form lifelong bonds between people and trees.
- Wildlife ponds for every industrial estate and all municipal parks.
- Swift/sparrow/starling boxes to be included in all new-build homes, with incentives for retro-fitting nest boxes on older properties.
- Lobby your MPs to help stop seal culling in Scotland, outlaw the use of lead ammunition and snares (most European countries have banned this already) and driven grouse shooting.
5 bigger actions suggested
- Rewild 10% of UK uplands.
- 10% of every farm to be managed for wildlife through wide field margins, sown wildflowers, restored farm ponds and wetlands.
- Introduce a pesticide tax and set target for 50% reduction in weight of pesticides used and number of pesticide applications per field by 2022. (France and Denmark have recently set targets for 50% and 40% reductions respectively; Denmark also announced a pesticide tax.)
- Make 30% of UK waters off-limits to commercial fishing.
- Ban scallop-dredging in UK waters.
Want to get involved in the 'People's Manifesto for Wildlife'?
The People's Manifesto for Wildlife is open source. It's a call to arms for conservationists and campaigners. The whole project was financed by Chris Packham, it's independent of any political party.
