As world leaders meet to discuss global climate change, the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is tackling the crisis locally with the launch of Team Wilder – recruiting thousands of people across the region to help bring nature back from the brink.

The Trust is calling on individuals, community groups, schools, businesses, councils, farmers and landowners to help create more nature everywhere. Wildlife is really struggling, but gardens, school grounds, playing fields, business sites, churchyards, farmland and road verges are all vital spaces where nature could thrive.

Restoring nature is key to solving the climate crisis. Team Wilder will enable everyone to do something on their own patch to give wildlife and climate a helping hand – and those small actions will add up to make a big difference.

Liz Shearer, BBOWT’s Community Engagement Director, is co-ordinating Team Wilder:

“It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of the nature and climate crisis – Team Wilder enables you to take positive action to help. If we all do our bit for wildlife, we can help fix our climate too – but we need many more people on nature’s side across our three counties.

“The science shows that if just one in four people does something to help wildlife, together we can tip the scales back in nature’s favour - whether that’s feeding the birds, creating a wildlife garden at work, lobbying your local MP, or planting a mini woodland. It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle - if we all pick up a piece, we can create a wilder picture for our three counties. We can all be part of the solution to this crisis.”

Team Wilder aims to enable an army of people from all walks of life across Berks, Bucks and Oxon to share their skills, knowledge and experience, and build community action for nature. Anyone can get involved and do something to bring nature back.

BBOWT’s President, Steve Backshall, who’s backing the new Team Wilder idea, said:

“Our hope is to create a community of people from all different walks of life who want to give nature a second chance. You could be starting small by planting nectar rich flowers in the garden for the bees or cutting a hole in the fence for the hedgehogs or maybe making a wildlife pond, but we’re going to build up to think bigger.

“All of us together can start to create different parts of that wildlife jigsaw that can really help nature bounce back on our own patch. So get involved and join Team Wilder!”

Sign up to Team Wilder and you and your community will be given advice, tips and guidance about how to help wildlife in your area. You can also record your own actions for nature on the new online Team Wilder jigsaw map. Those individual jigsaw puzzle pieces will eventually all join together, connecting more wild spaces across the region, helping nature and climate to recover.

The Team Wilder launch is part of the Trust’s new ‘Wilder’ vision for nature, people and climate in Berks, Bucks and Oxon. BBOWT is planning to put nature into recovery on 30% of land across the region by 2030 – that’s more than double the area it currently helps to manage for wildlife and it’s an ambitious target.

The Trust has 86 nature reserves and six Living Landscape projects. Its new Nature Recovery Network has mapped urban and rural areas in the region where nature has the best chance of bouncing back. BBOWT is already working with landowners, farmers and partners to restore nature across Berks, Bucks and Oxon – but it’s a huge task.

BBOWT’s Chief Executive, Estelle Bailey, said:

“Nature is in serious trouble – the way we farm and build on our land is wiping wildlife off the map. Yet we know we can’t fix the climate crisis without restoring nature, as the two are fundamentally linked. We need more nature everywhere for everyone - it’s as simple as that.

“Our ‘Wilder’ vision is an exciting action plan that can bring nature back to our region - but we’re going to need help, and lots of it, if we’re going to achieve this. We all have an important part to play in solving this puzzle and that’s where our exciting new Team Wilder movement comes in. Let’s think bigger, bolder and wilder, and really work together to put nature into recovery in our three counties.”

Be part of Team Wilder by taking action for nature and climate today:

• Plant bee-friendly flowers in your windowbox
• Cut a hole in your garden fence to make a hedgehog highway
• Pick up litter on your next walk
• Set up a community nature group and turn your neighbourhood wild
• Ask your local school, church or sports club to make space for wildlife
• Lobby your local council for more wild spaces in parks and on road verges
• Get together with workmates to create an office wildlife garden
• Eat less meat and buy locally produced food
• Leave part of your lawn unmown and grow wildflowers
• Use your car less and walk or cycle instead
• Join like-minded neighbours to lobby your MP to stand up for nature

Find out more about how you and your community can get involved at BBOWT’s online Team Wilder launch event on Thursday 18 November at 7.30pm – book your place here: bbowt.org.uk/events/2021-11-18-be-part-team-wilder

Nature needs you on its side - if you want to be part of the solution to the nature and climate crisis in your local area, join Team Wilder today. Find out more and record your actions for nature on the interactive Team Wilder jigsaw puzzle map at: www.bbowt.org.uk/team-wilder.