Taking the Rewilding Manifesto on the road
It’s party conference season and we’ve made sure that rewilding is well and truly in the room. Policy and Advocacy Lead Oliver Newham reports in from Rewilding Britain’s grand tour.
Published 19/09/2024
Our supporters have done a fantastic job in getting the rewilding message in front of newly elected politicians this year. We’ve already seen more than 18,000 signing our petition encouraging parliamentary candidates to commit to the Rewilding Manifesto and over 3,000 going on to personally email their newly elected local parliamentary representative after the election.
We then followed up by sending a printed copy of the manifesto to all 650 MPs and 800 Peers in time for their return to Parliament earlier this month. It’s important that we try different methods for getting rewilding and nature recovery firmly back on their agenda at a most crucial time — and we’ve already had positive responses and are starting to forge important relationships with supportive parliamentarians who can help us drive this forward.
Now it’s time to take the Manifesto on the road — to get it front of even more MPs and ministers at party conferences and hold those all-important one-to-one conversations. This is how we can ensure they’re aware of rewilding as a solution and how it can help the government with its own targets on the nature and climate crisis, in particular halting and reversing the decline of our wildlife species and setting aside 30% of our land and seas for nature.
Liberal Democrats
We’ve just wrapped up a fantastic few days at the Liberal Democrats conference, where we focused on the opportunities marine rewilding presents in particular. Not only did we help organise a beach clean and beach comb involving four MPs, local volunteers and other marine organisations; we also took part in a panel debate alongside Andrew George and Rewilding Network member the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project.
Labour Party
Next stop is the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, where we have a brilliantly designed, rewilding-themed exhibition stand. Do come and see us at stand AC6 between 22 – 25 September if you’re attending the conference!
Our main aim is to engage with MPs and advisors, getting them to take notice of our manifesto and join the growing number of them committing to supporting it. We’re also offering MPs the opportunity to join us on a guided tour of a rewilding site within the Rewilding Network, where they can experience rewilding in action first hand and ask us questions.
During the conference our CEO Rebecca Wrigley will be part of the Nature’s comeback panel event, in partnership with Beaver Trust, on how species reintroductions can help deliver Labour’s vision for climate and nature recovery.
Fringe event for passholders
Panel Debate – Nature’s Comeback: How species reintroductions can deliver Labour’s vision for climate and nature recovery
From wild beavers helping protect us from flooding to pine martens supporting the recovery of red squirrel populations, there are many ways species reintroductions can play a vital role in helping Britain’s nature, communities and wildlife thrive. Hear leading politicians and experts discuss how far we should go and how urgently we must act.
Panel chaired by Rob Yorke
Panelists:
- Mete Coban, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy
- Sandra King, CEO, Beaver Trust
- Martin Lines, CEO, Nature Friendly Farming Network
- Rebecca Wrigley, CEO, Rewilding Britain
4.45pm, Sunday 22 September 2024, Arena Room 9, ACC Liverpool
Conservative Party
And finally, at the end of September, Rewilding Britain Director Professor Alastair Driver will take part in a debate on land use at the Conservative Party conference, hosted by the Conservative Environment Network.
Panel debate for passholders
Born to be wild? How land use change can help us to reach our environmental goals
The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. The degradation of our natural assets, such as peatlands, have turned them from carbon stores into greenhouse gas emitters. While rewilding may hold the key for meeting our nature and climate targets, it has become increasingly controversial among farmers and politicians alike, hindering practical and policy progress. But what does rewilding actually mean? How can we have a more honest conversation about rewilding? Is there a business case to be made for it? What is standing in the way of action? If you have a pass to the conference, join us to find out!
12.00−13.00, Monday 30 September 2024, Hall 7 of the ICC Birmingham
Sponsored by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
Update: Watch a recording of the CEN fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference on the CEN YouTube channel.
We believe that rewilding can and should be a key part of the UK Government’s delivery plans, not just for nature and climate but across the board, from job creation to growing healthy nature based local economies. We now have a fantastic opportunity to put this to politicians face to face, to help bring about the big, bold, positive changes that our natural world desperately needs.
