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Plantlife is the global charity working to secure a world rich in plants and fungi. This Review sets out our progress in year two of the Plantlife Strategy to 2030, which aims to restore our biodiversity across every landscape and work towards a society that truly recognises the value of wild plants and fungi for the future of people and the planet.
Plantlife is the global charity working to enhance, protect, restore and celebrate the wild plants and fungi that are essential to all life on earth. With two in five plant species at risk of extinction, biodiversity loss is now the fastest it’s ever been and Plantlife’s work has never been more vital.
Plantlife champions and accelerates conservation action, working at the heart of a global network of individuals and organisations, to influence and inspire landowners and land managers, public and private bodies, governments and local communities. As time begins to run out, Plantlife’s position as the global voice for wild plants and fungi will help to bring lasting and positive change to our natural world – for everyone’s sake.
We run 24 nature reserves across the UK, covering 4,500 acres.
There are now 2,336 Important Plant Areas (IPAs) in place in 34 countries, with 165 in the UK.
days of support have been provided by volunteers.
Ian DunnChief Executive
David Hill CBEChair
“Society is increasingly recognising that we cannot deliver the benefits we seek for nature in isolation of the mitigation actions needed to address our climate challenges, nor indeed vice versa. We must also address these two challenges of nature and climate in a socially just way, actively listening to the voices around us. This is at the heart of our work, and I trust that the content of our annual review will inspire and engage you.I can say without hesitation that we have a superb team at Plantlife, individually and collectively contributing to the positive impact we strive for. We also work with so many insightful partners alongside whom we deliver for a world rich in wild plants and fungi. Our membership and finances are growing in numbers and providing a robust platform for our work. As you explore this review of the last year, please do dwell on our project outcomes and conservation impact; what the team has delivered is impressive. Across so many habitats, working with so many species and engaging with so many communities, we aim to be conservation organisation of choice; expert, impactful, agile and fun to work with and for. Our passion for the task at hand shines through the work of the last year and we can only achieve this with the support of so many.It is widely recognised that the environment sector lacks diversity and is seen as inaccessible to people with reduced mobility, from minority sections of society or those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. To address this, Plantlife is proud to be working with the Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) and Groundwork UK’s New to Nature scheme and are hosting a young person as a Partnership Trainee to work with us. We are also collaborating with other organisations to identify ways we can develop and promote the importance of equality and diversity in everything we do.Thank you if you are one of our supporters already and, if not, join us! Our vision for a world rich in wild plants and fungi is fundamental to the success of so much we must achieve as a society. If we get this right, together, we’ll really be able to address the challenges faced by nature and climate change with full societal engagement, thereby protecting and restoring this beautiful world we live in.”
“Society is increasingly recognising that we cannot deliver the benefits we seek for nature in isolation of the mitigation actions needed to address our climate challenges, nor indeed vice versa. We must also address these two challenges of nature and climate in a socially just way, actively listening to the voices around us. This is at the heart of our work, and I trust that the content of our annual review will inspire and engage you.
I can say without hesitation that we have a superb team at Plantlife, individually and collectively contributing to the positive impact we strive for. We also work with so many insightful partners alongside whom we deliver for a world rich in wild plants and fungi. Our membership and finances are growing in numbers and providing a robust platform for our work. As you explore this review of the last year, please do dwell on our project outcomes and conservation impact; what the team has delivered is impressive. Across so many habitats, working with so many species and engaging with so many communities, we aim to be conservation organisation of choice; expert, impactful, agile and fun to work with and for. Our passion for the task at hand shines through the work of the last year and we can only achieve this with the support of so many.
It is widely recognised that the environment sector lacks diversity and is seen as inaccessible to people with reduced mobility, from minority sections of society or those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. To address this, Plantlife is proud to be working with the Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL) and Groundwork UK’s New to Nature scheme and are hosting a young person as a Partnership Trainee to work with us. We are also collaborating with other organisations to identify ways we can develop and promote the importance of equality and diversity in everything we do.
Thank you if you are one of our supporters already and, if not, join us! Our vision for a world rich in wild plants and fungi is fundamental to the success of so much we must achieve as a society. If we get this right, together, we’ll really be able to address the challenges faced by nature and climate change with full societal engagement, thereby protecting and restoring this beautiful world we live in.”
“It seems barely a couple of years since I took up the role of Chair back in 2015 – 8 years ago! During that time I have met many of you, our wonderful members and supporters, and most of our staff at various events and meetings. Our membership has grown from around 7,000 to approaching 23,000; income from around £2.5m to over £5.5m; total funds for conservation from around £4m to nearly £10m and FTE staff from under 40 to over 70. My lasting memory of my time at Plantlife will be one of being able to work with some of the most amazing people in the conservation world, and delivering really important work as we strive to recover nature in the UK and beyond. I give special thanks to all of our staff, to our highly effective Board members and of course to you all for your outstanding support.There is no doubt in my mind that we are starting to see a major change in attitudes across society, governments and corporate business in terms of the urgency of doing what needs to be done to restore global natural capital in addition to tackling climate change. According to the World Economic Forum and many others – professional economists as well as environmentalists, some 55% of global GDP relies on what nature provides. Without functioning ecosystems, corporate businesses will be unable to obtain investment and will ultimately collapse. While all in Plantlife have a passion for nature, this isn’t necessarily the position everyone holds. But now that nature is seen as business critical, it ought to stimulate corporates into putting finance into ecosystem restoration.A whole world of ecosystem markets has begun to open up in the past 18 months. I feel confident that private investment into private landholdings, as we are starting to see, will generate the scale and urgency that is needed to really shift the dial on biodiversity – at last! I’m delighted to say that Plantlife’s secure future will enable it to play its part in making that happen on the ground with our amazing projects.”
“It seems barely a couple of years since I took up the role of Chair back in 2015 – 8 years ago! During that time I have met many of you, our wonderful members and supporters, and most of our staff at various events and meetings. Our membership has grown from around 7,000 to approaching 23,000; income from around £2.5m to over £5.5m; total funds for conservation from around £4m to nearly £10m and FTE staff from under 40 to over 70. My lasting memory of my time at Plantlife will be one of being able to work with some of the most amazing people in the conservation world, and delivering really important work as we strive to recover nature in the UK and beyond. I give special thanks to all of our staff, to our highly effective Board members and of course to you all for your outstanding support.
There is no doubt in my mind that we are starting to see a major change in attitudes across society, governments and corporate business in terms of the urgency of doing what needs to be done to restore global natural capital in addition to tackling climate change. According to the World Economic Forum and many others – professional economists as well as environmentalists, some 55% of global GDP relies on what nature provides. Without functioning ecosystems, corporate businesses will be unable to obtain investment and will ultimately collapse. While all in Plantlife have a passion for nature, this isn’t necessarily the position everyone holds. But now that nature is seen as business critical, it ought to stimulate corporates into putting finance into ecosystem restoration.
A whole world of ecosystem markets has begun to open up in the past 18 months. I feel confident that private investment into private landholdings, as we are starting to see, will generate the scale and urgency that is needed to really shift the dial on biodiversity – at last! I’m delighted to say that Plantlife’s secure future will enable it to play its part in making that happen on the ground with our amazing projects.”
Underpinning the health of our environment, wild plants and fungi are the foundation upon which we can help resolve the climate, ecological and societal challenges we face. Our work spans four strategic areas:
Our ability to secure a world rich in plants and fungi is dependent on the generosity of grant givers, companies, institutions, individuals and thousands of our members. We continue to be inspired by the commitment and passion shown by so many in supporting our work.
We are extremely grateful to all our members, supporters, funders and other organisations that so generously supported us in 2022/23.
The Big Give Christmas Challenge helped us to raise nearly £100,000 to safeguard mountain plants at risk of extinction.
Helping rebuild a plant-rich world with the help of our generous supporters.
We’ve been awarded £1m to restore and conserve species-rich grassland across Wales and protect this vital habitat for the future.
We’re kickstarting an important research and education programme with the help of a £390,000 grant.
Lidl supported Plantlife by bringing wildflower survey to its customers.
2022/23 was another extremely positive year for Plantlife, making lasting positive change for wildflowers, plants and fungi whilst maintaining total funds in order to build resilience for the future. By joining forces with others we have ensured our money, influence and impact has a wider reach than we alone could effect.
The majority of our expenditure is spent directly on our conservation work and we increased conservation activity to £3,152k up from £2,975k last year.
This was across a range of projects covering our priority habitats of grasslands and temperate rainforest restoration as well as on threatened species with new projects in Wales and Scotland. We also increased our work on education and engagement, including ongoing campaigning against peat extraction, promoting a grasslands action plan and raising awareness of temperate rainforest.
We continue to make strategic investments in growing membership and other forms of fundraising to secure future income along with strengthening systems and processes to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness.
2022/23 saw income grow across all areas of activity and we are extremely grateful to everyone that contributed so generously to securing a world rich in plants and fungi.
We saw a 27% boost to funding for specific conservation projects compared to last year including funding from National Highways for a biodiversity enhancement programme on our own reserves and in partnership with other landowners along with work beginning on two major integrated species recovery partnership projects this year, Natur am Byth funded by Natural Resources Wales and Species on the Edge funded by NatureScot.
Membership continues to grow with over 20,000 Plantlife members now engaging in our work, helping to boost supporter income by 25%. We also received donations from a number of new funders in the year including a grant from Garfield Weston Foundation to support road verges work.
If you would like to know more about how you can support Plantlife and help us to continue our vital work for plants and fungi please contact Vickie Wood.
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