The National Trust is calling on people to write to their MP at the launch of a campaign to stop the unravelling of protection for nature.

With their ‘Nature = Future’ campaign, it hopes instead to persuade ministers to step up the pace to help British wildlife recover.

The charity is asking the government to honour the commitment to manage 30 per cent of land for nature by 2030, and to defend nature and wildlife from weakening laws that protect them.

It is also seeking the introduction of a strong Water Reform Bill to clean up our rivers, streams and seas, and make polluters pay, it says.

The National Trust further demands that neighbourhoods are rich in nature and ends “unfair access to green space” seeking the government to publish its “long-promised action plan” by the end of the year.

It says that in the last 12 months, the Prime Minister and Chancellor have presented wildlife as a “blocker” to growth and changed long-standing nature policies, including making it easier for developers to build without improving the environment.

The last time the trust led a similar campaign was in 2011, when it initiated a petition that succeeded in stopping proposed planning reforms.

Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust, said: “We would never launch a campaign like this lightly. But nature is in a state of freefall in this country and our government doesn’t appear to be taking the issue seriously enough.

“It’s time politicians listened to the electorate and started to implement change. Clean rivers and seas, natural places for children to play and healthy local food are all within grasp with the right political action. But we must raise the level of aspiration. Nature can and must be restored to our islands.”

See https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/our-cause/nature-climate/nature-conservation/nature-is-our-future