Majority of people in Wales believe nature is in crisis and urgently needs help as charities invite public to join biggest ever conversation about nature

Seventy nine percent of adults in Wales believe nature is under threat and eighty one percent believe that everyone should play a part to protect nature and avoid a nature crisis in the UK, according to polling out today from the RSPB, WWF and National Trust. 

Half (50%) are willing to take action themselves to protect nature but 46% of people in Wales don’t feel empowered to do so. 

The results come as three of the UK’s biggest conservation charities join forces with celebrity champions Maisie Williams and Cel Spellman to launch the People’s Plan for Nature, inviting the nation to have its say on how the UK solves the ongoing nature crisis.

Through both a UK-wide conversation and the first ever citizen’s assembly for nature, the charities are inviting the public to share their ideas and together develop a set of public demands to tackle the nature crisis – calling on the UK’s leaders to take action before it’s too late.

The charities feel the time is ripe for co-creating a proposal for nature’s recovery as the polling shows the top areas the people in Wales would be interested in seeing various actions be taken to improve nature and wildlife in their local areas, including more action for cleaner rivers, waterways and seas (54%), more protection for nature in the planning and housebuilding system (31%) and strengthened legal protection for nature, wildlife, and habitats (36%).

The charities are encouraging the public to submit their thoughts on the future of nature in the UK by visiting peoplesplanfornature.org before 30th October. The charities have also partnered with Future Art Centres (a network of independent cultural centres across the UK) to help facilitate the conversation. 

The public will be invited to add their ideas to specially-designed tree installations at 30 Art Centres around the UK, including Galeri in Caernarfon and Chapter in Cardiff. The trees can also be found at places cared for by National Trust Cymru, including Tredegar House, Newport, and Plas Newydd, Anglesey.

Lhosa Daly, Interim Director, National Trust Cymru, Alun Prichard, Director, RSPB Cymru and Rhian Brewster, Head of Communications, WWF Cymru said in a joint statement: “This summer saw Wales experience record-breaking temperatures and adverse weather conditions that caused drought, wildfires and other harm to its nature and wildlife. Extreme heat led to fears of crop loss, contributing to the cost of living crisis everyone is experiencing. The nature crisis affects everyone, so everyone should be involved in the conversation about how we protect it. 

“It’s heartening to know that 81% of people in Wales believe it’s time for everyone to play a part in protecting and restoring nature. But only 18% know how truly dire the situation is, that is, the fact that the UK is one of worst-rated places in the world for nature loss. As such, we want people to come together – whether that’s at their local arts centre, the pub, around their breakfast tables or during their park runs –  and discuss what they love about nature and what we need to do to preserve it for the next generation. By taking part, those that don’t currently feel empowered to do so, can have a voice and make an impact”.

The majority of people in Wales say they have witnessed a decline in nature and wildlife in their local areas, according to the polling: 63% in the amount and variety of insects they see including butterflies and bumblebees and 57% in birds; 63% in the number of mammal sightings such as hedgehogs, badgers and otters and 58% in green spaces such as parks and woodlands. Many have seen this decline in some form in the last five years alone (66%). 

The reality may be even worse than people think; more than 666 species are under threat of extinction in Wales. Since rigorous scientific monitoring began in the 1970s, of the 3,902 species assessed in Wales, 73 have been lost. Birds like turtle doves and corn buntings are now lost from Wales. For the land-based and freshwater species in the UK assessments found in Wales, 10% of plants, 8% of fungi and lichens, 36% of vertebrates and 5% invertebrates are at risk of extinction.

Starting in November 2022, a representative group of 100 people from across the UK will come together in the first ever UK-wide citizen’s assembly for nature to develop a set of recommendations to help and restore nature in the UK. Over the course of the People’s Assembly for Nature, participants will hear from leading scientists, politicians, industry leaders and members of the public to understand the pressures UK nature is under. In February, the People’s Assembly for Nature will prioritise what it understands to be the most crucial solutions to protect and restore nature in the UK.

Over the course of the People’s Assembly for Nature, participants will hear from scientists, politicians, industry leaders and members of the public to understand the pressures UK nature is under. At the end of the four weekends, the People’s Assembly for Nature will prioritise what it understands to be the most crucial solutions to protect and restore nature in the UK.

Actors Maisie Williams and Cel Spellman are the first celebrity champions supporting the campaign.

Emmy-nominated actor, activist, and producer Maisie Williams said: “The People’s Plan for Nature is the chance for all of us to come together and fight for nature before it is too late. I am so excited to join this vital conversation and play a part in protecting and restoring the wildlife that means so much to me and countless others. For me, it’s about birdsong – it always reminds me of home, and I’m scared that I will wake up one day and won’t be able to hear it anymore. We must act now – and the most powerful thing we can do is use our voices, collectively. So let’s join this fight together and bring our nature back to life.”

Actor, presenter and activist Cel Spellman said: “The People’s Plan for Nature gives us a rare opportunity to unite and bring about desperately needed change for our natural world. We have all turned to and appreciated nature like never before in the last few years. For me, spending time immersed in the natural world is my medicine, it’s good for the soul, body and mind. Yet the UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.  Nature needs us now more than ever, and this is the time for us all to stand up, take action and use our voices to protect and restore our precious wildlife species, ecosystems and environment.  Together we can make a real difference.”

Poppy, aged 17 from Newport: “As a youth activist, the National Trust, RSPB, and WWF’s People’s Plan for Nature is an inspiring and essential campaign. It demonstrates the necessity to protect biodiversity and nature in combating the climate crisis because ultimately the climate and nature crisis are two sides of the same coin. I believe it provides a fantastic opportunity to unify and bridge the gap between individual action, NGO work and government policy and encourage everyone to get involved.”

The People’s Plan for Nature will give a voice to everyone to share their ideas, asking the public: “what do you love about nature in the UK? What would you miss if it disappeared?” to get their feedback on how to thwart the nature crisis and to understand what people would like to see for the future of UK nature and wildlife.