2012 see The Wildlife Trusts celebrate their 100th birthday!

The Wildlife Trust movement was orignally set up by Charles Rothschild. In May 2012, the year the Titanic sunk, Rothschild held a meeting to discuss his idea of saving places for nature - radical thinking at the time.

However in this time local conservation groups had begun to spring up, including a group in Norfolk in 1926, followed by our own Trust in 1946, then Lincolnshire in 1948. From the 1950s more and more groups developed and the Society took on the role of a national association to represent them. This, in effect, was the beginning of local Wildlife Trusts. Following the formation of the Scottish Wildlife Trust in 1964, the Trusts covered the whole of Britain, expanding yet further in 1978 when the Ulster Wildlife Trust formed. In total there are now 47 Wildlife Trusts covering the UK, the Isle of Man and Alderney. 

The Wildlife Trusts have produced a film to mark the centenary. We will be holding a special screening of this film, please keep checking these pages for more details. 


Our Wildlife Weekends

To celebrate our collective centenary, all of the Wildlife Trusts across the country will be holding Our Wildlife Weekends throughout 2012. 

Our Woodland Wildlife (Saturday 14th and 15th April)

There'll be 5 events this weekend, including: Stirley Community Farm (14th), Grass Wood (14th), Potteric Carr (15th) and Chafer Wood (15th).

Our History (Saturday 19th May)

Learn about the history of Potteric Carr or about the farming history of Stirley Community Farm during two drop in events. Alternatively, take part on a guided walk along Spurn National Nature Reserve. 

Our Meadow Wildlife (Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th June)

Events at Potteric Carr, Staveley, Noddle Hill and Wheldrake Ings. Details to be confirmed.

Our Marine Wildlife (Saturday 4th August)

To coincide with National Marine Week, the Living Seas team will be holding an event at South Landing, Flamborough.

Our Wetland Wildlife (Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th September)

Events at Potteric Carr and Paul Holme Strays. Details to be confirmed.