It is a real pleasure to welcome you to this issue of our refreshed magazine. We hope you enjoy the new look, shaped with support from across The Wildlife Trusts to better reflect the work we do together.

Spring is a time of new beginnings, and after many years at our Littlemore office we are excited to make the move into our new offices near Farmoor Reservoir.

By the time this issue reaches you we also hope to have completed the purchase of Hamgreen Wood, Buckinghamshire – a moment I find particularly thrilling. Securing land like this is central to our ambition to protect and restore at least 30% of land for nature across our counties. To everyone who supported our appeal, thank you! Your generosity has helped create our newest nature reserve. We will be sharing more about our plans for Hamgreen Wood in a future issue.

Buying land is only part of the story. Nature’s recovery depends on people and on the decisions made about how land is used and protected. Yet important safeguards for nature are being weakened. Proposed changes through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, alongside changes to environmental regulation set out in the Nuclear Regulatory Review, risk making it easier for irreplaceable natural spaces to be lost. At times like this, local action matters more than ever.

In this issue, you can read about our community organising work, supporting people to take action for wildlife on their doorstep. We also share how we are working with farmers to help them adopt more wildlife-friendly approaches. Food security and a thriving natural world go hand in hand, and farmers are a vital part of the solution.

Your support gives me real hope. Together, we are protecting places that matter and standing up for nature when it needs us most.

Estelle Bailey MBE, Chief Executive