The landmark State of Nature 2023 report shows that nature is continuing to decline at an alarming rate across the UK, which is already one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world (we are in the bottom 3%).

There have been three previous reports, in 2013, 2016 and 2019, and with every new State of Nature report, we are seeing the situation for our wildlife continue to get worse.

The 2023 report, compiled by around 50 environmental and research organisations, tracks the abundance of more than 10,000 species and compares these to levels in 1970. It shows:

• One in six species is at risk of being lost from Great Britain (up from one in seven in 2019 and one in ten in 2013)
• Overall abundance of all species has, on average, declined by 19% since monitoring began in 1970
• Most important habitats are in poor condition, though restoration projects have clear benefits for nature, people and adapting to climate change

Drilling into the detail we can see that different groups have declined by different extents compared to 1970:

• Birds – 43% decline
• Reptiles & amphibians – 31% decline
• Terrestrial mammals – 26% decline
• Insects – 18% decline
• Flowering plants - 54% decline

These figures only serve to confirm our worst fears; nature is in crisis.

We know how to help nature recover so just imagine where we would be if it wasn’t for all the brilliant work done by conservation organisations and so many others over the last 60 years!

When I moved to Worcestershire in the 1980s otters were extinct here and seeing a buzzard or a red kite was a rare treat. Now they are thriving. 

I know it’s easy to blame any government but their actions (not the endless strategies and platitudes) are fundamental to nature’s future right now, before it is too late. If nature is to recover, we must scale up the approaches that have been proven to work and at a much greater pace.

This means:

• strong legislation that is properly enforced, so that existing habitats, notably our rivers and streams, are protected and restored
• Vastly increased and nature-targeted funding for landowners and others – an extra £4billion a year would enable nature’s recovery (reputedly the same amount as the tax breaks given for the latest Rosebank oil field project) so that 30% of land and sea really will be in recovery for nature by 2030
• Recognising the fundamental value that nature plays in all our lives – our economy, our culture, our wellbeing - and supporting organisations and communities at all levels to take action for nature.

For this to happen we need more people to get involved in taking action for nature on the ground as well as our elected representatives ensuring that nature-positive policies are front and centre ahead of the next election.

Local councils, businesses and communities need to take stock of what they can do to help reverse this trend, whether that be creating wildlife-friendly greenspaces in their neighbourhood or influencing local or national policy.

As individuals we can all play our part: through practical action to make our gardens or community spaces better for wildlife and by lobbying those local and national decision-makers.

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust is already committed to use its own resources to support action at all levels. Our Natural Networks project, run in partnership with Worcestershire County Council, provides advice and funding for work that helps wildlife. Over the last five years, this project has funded landowners, businesses, parish councils and communities to help wildlife on over 130 hectares.

Supporting communities to help wildlife in their neighbourhoods is central to the Trust’s work in helping to connect people to nature and to help restore nature across Worcestershire.

We can enable nature to recover but we need to act now and we need to act together.