Species Recovery Appeal

Protect and restore Yorkshire’s rarest wildlife

On land and in the sea, wildlife should thrive in our wonderful and varied county. Yet, this is not the case. Our research tells us that wildlife across Yorkshire's woodlands, wetlands and waves is dwindling at an alarming rate.

If we don’t act, we will lose the iconic species that make Yorkshire special.

Will you help Yorkshire’s rarest and most endangered wildlife?

Save our species

We must act urgently to understand the needs of these precious creatures, and provide them with the habitat essential for survival.

water vole eating something in its front paws on the water

Refuge for Ratty

Thanks to Wind in the Willows, the water vole has become a firm favourite of British wildlife.

Loss of habitat, however, has caused the range of Yorkshire’s water voles to decline by 41% in the last 50 years. It's vital we maintain and reconnect streams, rivers and ponds to create networks of fresh water and wet grassland to give these amazing creatures a safer home.

From our trials at reserves like Skerne Wetlands, however, water vole populations have increased, giving a beacon of hope for their recovery in Yorkshire.

£25 could buy rafts used in surveying so we can monitor water vole populations

A curlew wading in the shallows of a lake

Putting curlew on the map

The curlew’s mournful call forms the heart of the soundscape of the Yorkshire Dales. Sadly, British curlew populations are in freefall in most places due to changes in land management and habitat loss.

We are working with Natural England and the Friends of the Lower Derwent Valley bird ringing team to tag curlews and track their movements. This will help us to identify places where curlews cling on and will provide evidence to fight development that could have other harmful impacts.

£60 could fit curlews with trackers, helping us to identify sites that need protection

yellow and red flower double head on a green stem

The almost-lost slipper

One of our most revered wildflowers, the lady’s slipper orchid is only matched in beauty by its rarity. By the 1930s, this plant was reduced to one single specimen, tucked away in a corner of the Yorkshire Dales.

In 2020, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust joined forces with Natural England, Plantlife, the Botanical Society of the British Isles and Kew to deliver the Lady’s Slipper Species Recovery Programme to help save this rare beauty.

The quest to find suitable areas for this precious species, however, remains an ongoing challenge. Without more space to re-establish, the lady’s slipper orchid will only be able to cling on in vulnerable, isolated pockets.

£75 could help us propagate and plant out lady’s slipper orchids in the Yorkshire Dales

hedgehog in brown leaf litter at night time

Hedgehogs need help too

Our humble, prickly friends face numerous challenges and actually became classified as vulnerable to extinction in 2020. Now more than ever, wildlife in urban spaces needs our help to thrive side by side with people.

Our fantastic #TeamWilder puts conservation into action right in our gardens and urban green spaces. From providing guidance on making nesting boxes, to improvements to habitat and food sources, #TeamWilder work tirelessly to empower communities and to put urban conservation into their hands.

£100 could enable us to run an event in one of Yorkshire’s urban communities, helping much-loved species including hedgehogs