We have a lot to be proud of this year, including our many fantastic projects and partnership initiatives, and the way in which we have continued to stand up for nature.

Across the country Wildlife Trusts are making a difference - we're restoring habitats, protecting species, campaigning for change and connecting people with nature where they live. Read on for a selection of our 2024 highlights.

More land is being managed and protected for nature.

We announced our largest landscape creation project in a decade at Hilfield Park Reservoir Nature Reserve, working in partnership with site owners and funders Affinity Water. Discover more here.

Chalk Rivers Benefit from New Government Funding

The news broke that the Trust would receive £1.7 million from DEFRA’s Species Survival Fund for restoration and enhancement works across four individual chalk rivers in Hertfordshire, covering 11km total length and 46 hectares of floodplain, allowing us also to work at a local community level to inspire and enable local people to take their own action for wildlife. Read more here.

People-Power is a Force for Nature

We celebrated the end of the Nextdoor Nature project, which has enabled us to work more closely with our communities over the last two years, thanks to The National Heritage Lottery Fund, and highlighted some of the local success stories which are benefitting our natural world. Find out more here.

Booming Wonderful!

Following an extensive and long-term conservation project to create more reedbed habitat at Amwell Nature Reserve, a male Bittern was heard booming for the first time in recent history. Read more about this exciting achievement here.

Encouraging Wilder Schools

We were thrilled to announce the launch of our Wilder Schools programme, giving every school in the region the opportunity to become a wilder space for nature and its students. Find out more here.

Conservation Grazing

We re-introduced a herd of Water Buffalo to continue to improve the rare wetland habitat at Thorley Wash. Read the original story here.

A New Approach to a Beautiful Menace

As part of Invasive Species Week, and thanks to funding from the Environment Agency, Affinity Water and Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, we announced we were working with CABI, a non-profit intergovernmental development and information organisation, to trial an innovative approach to tackling Himalayan Balsam, with a novel biological treatment: pathological rust fungus. Although Himalayan Balsam may look attractive, it is a menace to the balance of our ecosystem and to the stability of our riverbanks. Read more here.

Campaigning to Ban Peat Products

Along with our colleagues across The Wildlife Trusts federation and celebrity supporters, we urged the Government to uphold their promise to ban the sale of peat products ahead of the General Election. Find out more here.

Improving the Health of Our Chalk Rivers

We used the platform of World Rivers Day to introduce our Chalk Stream and Farm Advisory project – a new collaborative approach to working with and supporting landholders, communities and stakeholders, to improve the flow, resilience and ecological health of the River Mimram – thanks to funding from the Environment Agency. Read more here.

Restore Nature Now

Together with our colleagues across The Wildlife Trust federation, along with a wide range of nature, wildlife and climate groups, we encouraged people to ‘unite for nature’ by joining the family-friendly ‘Restore Nature Now’ demonstration in central London. Read more here.

Wilder Woodlands

We were proud to announce that seven ancient woodlands and local communities in our area would benefit from our Ancient Astonbury and Wilder Woodlands project, thanks to National Lottery players and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Read more here.

Improving Resilience to Climate Change

We shared the news of a new report identifying drought as the biggest threat to our nature reserves for the first time, and shared the work we are doing to make habitats more resilient to climate change. Read more here.

A Trio of Chicks Captivate Audiences

We were delighted to report that three Peregrine Falcon chicks successfully hatched on St Albans Cathedral, with thousands of people tuning in to watch the new arrivals on the webcam. Discover more here.

Voting with Nature in Mind

Ahead of the General Election, we urged prospective parliamentary candidates to recognise that the electorate wanted to see greater commitment from all parties to tackling the climate and nature emergency. Find out more here.

Wild Times in Watford!

We enjoyed meeting the local community at Wildfest in Cassiobury Park, celebrating all things wild with conservation groups and a host of family-friendly activities. Read more here.

Wildlife in Crisis Appeal

We launched a £280,000 fundraising campaign to help wildlife in crisis, as rising costs threaten nature’s recovery. Read more here.

We thank you for all the support you have given us in 2024 to help make these achievements possible. It is through your generosity that we can keep making positive changes for both people and nature. While we celebrate our 2024 highlights, we also look forward to continuing this important work in 2025.

If you’re not yet a member of the Trust, or know someone who’d like to be, check out our memberships and gift memberships here.