Action for Askham Bog

A haven for wildlife thousands of years in the making

From the retreat of the glaciers to the modern climate crisis, Askham Bog has endured for 15,000 years. Today, it needs your help to survive the future.

We are at a watershed moment in Askham Bog’s story. Climate change is accelerating, weather patterns are becoming more extreme, and the margin for inaction is shrinking. At the same time, Askham Bog is showing us what is possible; species returning, water bringing life back to the peat, and a landscape ready to respond if we support it.

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Two older men walk through tall grass in a lush green wooded area, a man on the left gesturing with both hands, while the other man to his right, wearing a blue jacket, looks towards the camera. Other people are walking behind them in the path, surrounded by trees.

Askham Bog is truly astonishing. Its acres of fens and wet woodlands are home to thousands of species, from the towering royal fern to exquisite and delicate flowers and invertebrates. Aptly described as a ‘cathedral of conservation’ by Sir David Attenborough, it lies just two miles from the centre of York and its story goes back 15,000 years. It is remarkable that it has survived so well, but it is also very vulnerable, and we need your help to ensure its future.

Professor Alastair Fitter

Great crested newt

A haven for wildlife thousands of years in the making

A five-year commitment to protect, restore and future proof one of Yorkshire’s most extraordinary wild places.

The Askham Bog Protection Fund is an investment in resilience. It is a commitment to climate action rooted in place, to species recovery grounded in science, and to a future where one of Yorkshire’s most precious wild places continues to be a wildlife haven, store carbon and inspire generations to come. We are aiming to raise £250,000 to provide a lifeline for Askham Bog over the next five years.

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Image with a white background showing two orange circles each containing a white graphic and text. The first circle has an illustration of a tree-like form and the text "£25 could help us to effectively deal with scrub which prevents peat from storing carbon". The second circle has an illustration of a butterfly and the text "£50 could contribute to the costs of monitoring Askham Bog's wild residents."

Two orange circles on a white background, the first features a white shovel and the text "£100 could help equip our volunteer team with the tools they need to help deliver our nature recovery ambitions at Askham bog." The second circle features a white clipboard and the text "£200 could help conduct studies which help us to future proof the health of the reserve."

An image depicting two orange circles; the left circle features a white newt silhouette and text stating, "£500 could contribute to the costs of creating new ponds for protected amphibians like great crested newts." The right circle displays a white leaf design with the text, "£1,000 could help to cover the costs of combatting Himalayan Balsam".

Image shows two orange circles on a white background. The left circle contains a white water droplet icon, and reads "£15,000 could help us to undertake a hydrology study of the entire reserve". The right circle contains a white icon resembling a dam, and reads "£30,000 could cover the costs of installing a titling weir to better manage Askham Bog's water levels".

Three men walk through tall grass in a lush green wooded area, a man on the left gesturing with both hands, while the other man to his right, wearing a blue jacket, looks towards the camera. Other people are walking behind them in the path, surrounded by trees.

A keystone of community

We are at a watershed moment in Askham Bog’s story . Together, we can ensure Askham Bog becomes part of the solution to climate change, not another casualty of it.

Secure its future

Adults and children build raised beds in a community garden.

Image credit: Andy Steele, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

Community fundraising

Askham Bog has survived because people chose to defend it, shaped by a long tradition of collective action and communities coming together to protect something irreplaceable.

Join the collective action