National Trust urges public to lobby politicians to reverse nature ‘freefall’

The National Trust has launched a rare campaign asking the public to contact their MPs to call for an urgent increase in action to reverse nature’s “freefall” in the UK.

The call, which director-general Hilary McGrady said has not been launched “lightly”, comes as polling for the National Trust reveals restoring nature is important for voters of all political hues.

But people believe the Government cares less about it than they do themselves, the polling of 4,000 people by More in Common for the trust found.

The survey also found the UK’s countryside and nature is second only to the NHS as a source of pride for Britons.

And it found that policies to weaken wildlife and nature protections in the planning system to boost development were unpopular with voters across the board.

The UK’s biggest conservation charity said the country is one of the most nature-depleted in the world, with millions of birds disappearing from the skies in recent decades and just 14% of English rivers in good ecological health.

However, the trust said, the Government did not appear to be taking the issue seriously enough, pointing to the Prime Minister and Chancellor’s recent comments describing wildlife such as bats, snails and newts as “blockers” to development and new housing.

It is the first time in 15 years the National Trust has launched a campaign to ask its members and the public to put pressure on the Government to change course.

The charity said its mobilisation over planning reforms in 2011 helped secure significant changes to the policy.

This time it is asking for the Government to honour its commitment to manage 30% of land for nature by 2030 – the so-called 30X3 pledge made under the Tories – with more designated space for wildlife and paying farmers properly to help nature thrive.

The trust also wants a Government commitment to stop weakening laws that protect nature, and bring in a strong water reform Bill to clean up rivers and seas and make polluters pay for their harms.

And it is calling for the Government to commit to ensuring neighbourhoods are rich in nature, and ending unfair access to green spaces.

Ms McGrady said: “We would never launch a campaign like this lightly.

“But nature is in a state of freefall in this country and our Government doesn’t appear to be taking the issue seriously enough.

“In fact, it seems way behind voters on this incredibly important issue.

“So we’re calling on the public to ask their MP to step up.”

She said that regardless of people’s political views, they had a shared love of nature – calling it “a major source of pride and a unifier”.

“Our research shows that wanting to restore nature is the mainstream view; it is the Government that is out of step.”

She added: “Nature is essential for our economic prosperity, for national security, for our wellbeing and for all our futures.

“It’s time politicians listened to the electorate and started to implement change.”

The survey shows nearly a quarter of people (24%) think restoring nature in the UK is a top priority – with more than a third of Labour voters (36%) taking that view – while a further 59% think it is important.

More than half (54%) think the UK government has the lead responsibility for restoring nature in this country, but just 13% believe it to be top priority and 36% think it is important to the current administration.

And six in 10 people quizzed (59%) think the Government cares less than they do personally about restoring nature, the polling found.

Luke Tryl, executive director (UK) of More in Common, said the findings laid bare the risk for Labour of appearing as an anti-nature party.

“Britons of all political stripes are nature-lovers, but the majority of the public thinks the Government cares less about nature than they do.

“With Labour voters being more likely than those of any other political party to say that restoring nature is a top priority, the Government may find itself on the wrong side of public opinion – and its own voters.”