For six decades, despite the backdrop of an everchanging world, the Trust has steadfastly remained a consistent force in Hertfordshire and Middlesex, serving as an unwavering advocate for nature and striving to protect our most precious wild spaces. Whilst there are many significant and inspirational wins for nature that have been achieved in our area over the last sixty years, the Trust’s landmark Hertfordshire State of Nature Report (2020) brought home the stark reality of nature’s decline in this period, identifying over 1500 species (20% of those species assessed) as being Hertfordshire Species of Conservation Concern – extinct or threatened in a Hertfordshire context. Key pressures were identified in the report as agricultural management, climate change, hydrological change, urbanisation, pollution, woodland management and invasive non-native species. It has never been clearer that we still need to do more. And we need to do it with much greater urgency.

As we find ourselves almost half way through the most pivotal decade of our lives, our Wilder 2030 Strategy sets out our ambition over the next five years to see at least 30% of land across Hertfordshire and Middlesex connected and protected for nature’s recovery. We know how to join-up our fragmented habitats and bring species back to restore nature-rich, connected, resilient habitats, and we have a fantastic back catalogue of projects demonstrating what can be achieved when we work together.

Collaboration is king

Whilst the mechanisms to enable nature’s recovery have evolved significantly since the Trust’s inception, the constant at our core over this time has always been collaboration. No individual or single organisation can tackle the challenges facing our collective futures alone. We must work together better than we ever have, embracing innovative and inclusive approaches to connect with new and diverse audiences, and amplifying the reach and effectiveness of the initiatives we prioritise over the coming years. We entered 2024 with a new vehicle for doing exactly this - the Hertfordshire Nature Recovery Partnership – which has recently formed to drive forward the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for the county. Led by Hertfordshire County Council, this new partnership, formed of representatives from local authorities, statutory bodies, environmental organisations and landholders, will work with wider stakeholders across Hertfordshire to set our nature recovery priorities and will have the ability to direct significant investment to benefit nature and people to the mantra of “bigger, better, more joined up”!

How our partnerships are delivering for wildlife

The following project examples demonstrate what we can achieve on our nature reserves, in the wider countryside and in the community by working together.

Habitat creation

One area where there is enormous potential to collectively upscale our efforts is around ponds and wetlands. Hertfordshire is a wetland-poor county, with wetlands covering only 1% of our area, and we have lost at least 50% of our ponds over the last century, yet these habitats are particularly important for wildlife and play a crucial role in our landscapes.

This blog, from Josh Kalms ‘How the Trust’s Largest Habitat Creation in 10 Years is Providing Hope for Wildlife’ gives an insight into a large-scale habitat creation project at Hilfield Park Reservoir Nature Reserve, working in partnership with site owners and project funders, Affinity Water.

Combatting invasive species on our river banks

Thanks to funding from the Environment Agency and Affinity Water, the Trust is looking to the future for a longer-term solution to the problem of Himalayan Balsam out-competing native plants and eroding our river banks. Working with CABI, a non-profit intergovernmental development and information organisation, focusing on agricultural and environmental issues, the Trust is trialling a novel biological treatment – pathological rust fungus. Find out more about how we are ‘Tackling Himalayan Balsam – our rivers beautiful enemy.’

Specialist site management

Dan Townsend, Senior Reserves Officer, provides a first-hand account of ‘Managing the vital reedbed habitat at Amwell Nature Reserve’ – an internationally important wildlife site, where work has been enabled by funding from the Environment Agency and the support of an army of volunteers.

Bringing species back from the brink

Last September, the Trust announced a new flagship project, made possible with funding awarded by Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme to secure the future of a critically endangered plant – Scarce Tufted-sedge.

Giving ancient woodlands a boost

Seven ancient woodlands and local communities in the region are benefiting from Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust’s Ancient Astonbury and Wilder Woodlands project, thanks to National Lottery players and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Helping schools become wilder

This year, the Trust launched its Wilder Schools programme, giving every school in the region the opportunity to become a wilder space for nature and its students. What better way to celebrate a milestone anniversary than to inspire a new generation of conservationists!

Become our next partner!

Can you support the work of the Trust? There are various ways to do this from becoming a member, to volunteering, from fundraising, to donating to our appeal, plus many others. Find out more here and together we can improve prospects for wildlife and people in Hertfordshire and Middlesex for the next 60 years and beyond.