Charity calls for boost in bee, bird and butterfly populations

The Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is seeking to raise £70,000 to improve wildlife habitats across farmland in the Thames Valley. This initiative, part of the organisation's Nature Recovery Fund, aims to reverse the declining numbers of bees, birds, and butterflies.

According to the trust, populations of farmland birds have plummeted by 63% since 1970, and half of the 27 bumblebee species found in the UK are currently in decline. Strategies to support these animals include reducing the use of farm chemicals to improve soil health and water quality, alongside the creation of dedicated grassland areas.

Data from a 2023 report compiled by universities, environmental groups, and government agencies revealed that one in six species across the UK faces the threat of extinction. BBOWT chief executive Estelle Bailey noted that because farmland accounts for 68% of the three counties, conservation efforts must extend past existing nature reserves.

"Farmland makes up 68% of our three counties, so to truly have an impact on nature's recovery, our work must expand far beyond our precious nature reserves," said Estelle Bailey. She added: "I want future generations to experience the joy of countryside filled with life - swallows darting above fields, butterflies and bumblebees feeding on abundant wildflowers, hedgerows alive with the sound of birdsong, and to eat locally grown food that supports a healthy, resilient landscape."