Charities launch campaign to save Our Wild Isles as Sir David Attenborough show starts

Three charities - the National Trust, the RSPB and WWF - have come together for a new campaign to Save Our Wild Isles.

The campaign is supported by WWF ambassador Sir David Attenborough whose Wild Isles series began on Sunday night

The conservation charities are calling on the public to act to stop the destruction of UK nature.

They say if everyone, from leaders to communities, takes action nature can recover and thrive again.

What are the Wild Isles?

The British Isles refers to the islands of Great Britain, Ireland (both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) and the Isle of Man.

A new series, Wild Isles presented by Sir David Attenborough is about the wildlife across the British Isles.

How is UK nature under threat?

The UK is home to some amazing wildlife - from puffins to orcas, beavers and butterflies - but human action is putting all this wildlife under threat.

In the last 50 years, the charities say, 38 million birds have disappeared from UK skies, and 97% of our wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s.

A quarter of all our mammals, including water voles and greater mouse-eared bats, are at risk of extinction.

Last December at COP15, global leaders agreed to work to reverse the loss of the natural world by 2030.

In a joint statement, Hilary McGrady, director general of National Trust; Beccy Speight, chief executive of the RSPB and Tanya Steele, CEO of WWF (UK), said: "It's clear that nature's recovery, and the desire to reverse the harm we have inflicted over the last two centuries, are issues that unite us all. Together, we can save our wild isles."

What can people do to help?

The charities are calling on the public to show their love of nature by committing to "Go Wild Once a Week".

They say that for young people, that could mean speaking with friends, parents and teachers about how to make space for nature - at home, at school, or in your local community.

The charities will also be providing advice to people who want to restore nature near to them.

How else can young people get involved?

The three charities are also launching projects to encourage more young people to take action.

The Wild Escape is a major project led by national art charity Art Fund, inspired by Wild Isles. Young people are encouraged to find an animal in a museum or gallery and create their own wildlife artwork.

Every image will be brought to life by games studio, Preloaded, and made into a collective, virtual artwork unveiled on Earth Day - 22 April.

Schools For Nature

This project aims is for primary and secondary schools to create wilder places in school grounds across the UK.

A celebration in June, will see participants hold 'Open School' events to show the community the wild side of their schoolground, and to show off their current and planned actions for nature.

Young Voices for Nature

Launching in April, the Young Voices for Nature initiative will facilitate workshops for 300 young people from across the UK.

The workshops will help young people to develop their ability to tell great stories, as well as their video creation skills.

The content they shoot over the summer will be used to create a 10-15-minute film; produced, edited, and shown by young people.