Wildlife conservation & recovery

A watervole on the edge of a river eating vegetation

Water vole - Terry Whittaker

WHAT WE DO

Our Wildlife Conservation & Recovery team are at the forefront of tackling the nature and biodiversity crises in Suffolk.

Since 1961, Suffolk Wildlife Trust has been dedicated to protecting and restoring the county’s wildlife and wild landscapes. At the heart of our purpose as a wildlife charity is our mission to ‘Bring Nature Back’ - in which we’re championing a collective goal to secure at least 30% of Suffolk’s land and sea for nature’s recovery.

To help us achieve this goal, our Wildlife Conservation & Recovery team predominantly work within these four key areas:

gull roost at Lackford Lakes

Caring for our nature reserves

We own and manage a total of 2,900 hectares (7,100 acres) of land on 50 nature reserves across Suffolk. Our reserves are vital havens for wildlife and our teams of wardens undertake a wide range of tasks to maintain and restore them; from landscape management and habitat creation to species surveying, wildlife monitoring, and restoration works.

Browse our reserves

Maddie and Jenny - Credit: John Ferguson

Maddie Lord and Jenny Rawson from our Farm Advice Team - John Ferguson

Helping the landscape to recover

Our nature reserves alone cannot slow down the nature crisis. That’s why our Landscape Recovery team of advisers and project managers collaborate with farmers, landowners, and communities across Suffolk to support and enable wildlife-friendly management and practices at scale.

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Buff-tailed bumblebee © Vaughn Matthews

Defending nature

Development is one of the most significant pressures on wildlife in Suffolk. This is why our Planning & Advocacy team promote and advocate for better policies and decisions - defending wildlife from the negative impacts of damaging and unsustainable development.

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A bank vole being held with gloved hands during a small mammal survey

Bank vole, small mammal survey - Jack Cripps

Our ecological consultancy: Wilder Ecology

Our professional, in-house ecological consultancy - Wilder Ecology - works with clients across Suffolk to undertake wildlife surveying, impact assessments, monitoring, and mitigation schemes. We only work with clients who share our vision and go above and beyond to help wildlife.

Contact Wilder Ecology