Our Vision
A world where butterflies and moths thrive and can be enjoyed by everyone, forever.
Our Mission
Butterflies and moths are a vital part of our wildlife heritage and are valuable as sensitive indicators of the health of our environment. The stark fact is that butterflies and moths continue to decline at an alarming rate, despite Butterfly Conservation's best efforts over the last 40 years. Our data shows they are both declining faster than most other well-documented groups of plants and animals, so our task is both daunting and complex. For many species, we know what needs to be done to halt the decline and support recoveries. In order to tackle these losses and achieve the aims of the charity, we have to dramatically increase our capacity and influence over the next few years. Our work will benefit other wildlife and the ecosystems upon which all life depends.
Falling numbers are an early warning to all wildlife that cannot be ignored. We have more than 40,000 members in the UK and 32 volunteer-run Branches throughout the British Isles. We employ over 80 people, including many highly qualified scientists, making us the world's largest research institute for butterflies and moths. We operate 36 nature reserves and we are leading or involved in 73 landscape-scale projects to conserve habitats.
Saving Butterflies and Moths: our 2021-2026 strategy
"Right now, we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale. The twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss are pushing much of the natural world to the brink – including many of our most treasured species. In the UK, the majority of our butterfly and moth species are in worrying decline.
These beautiful and fascinating creatures are not just important in their own right, but are also indicators of a healthy environment for all wildlife. Over the next five years, Butterfly Conservation is committed to delivering the biggest possible impact for nature, playing a leading role within the conservation sector, with our new, ambitious strategy."
Chris Packham
Our new organisational strategy defines our priorities over the next year as we continue to drive progress towards a world where butterflies and moths can thrive.
Butterfly Conservation chooses to be a leader in the fight for our natural world. To do that we need to build on our successes and be even more effective, to focus our resources to have a greater impact. We must build stronger collaborations, be part of nature’s recovery at a larger scale, and broaden our reach to ensure that everyone has access to and can enjoy the wonders of butterflies and moths.
Our new strategy sets out three key goals to drive forward our work, making a pledge for the impact we will make on threatened species, doubling our impact on landscape restoration and involving people in transforming spaces for butterflies and moths
Saving Butterflies and Moths’ strategy has three Strategic Goals:
- Halve the number of the UK’s threatened species of butterflies and moths
- Improve the condition of 100 of the most important landscapes for butterflies and moths
- Transform 100,000 wild spaces in the UK for people, butterflies and moths
We will deliver these Strategic Goals through a programme of Initiatives which will bring focus and co-ordination to often complex conservation efforts, and inspire many more people to get involved. These Initiatives are intended to address the key areas of concern within the conservation sector as a whole:
- Recover butterflies and moths
- Connect people to nature
- Unite for wildlife
- Tackle threats to species
- Manage land sustainably
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Nature may be in crisis, but the next five years is our chance to turn that crisis into opportunity. By taking bold, imaginative steps to conserve butterflies and moths, we can also help to restore biodiversity, mitigate the climate crisis, and start to rebuild the vital kinship between people and the natural world.
We cannot do this alone. Please join us and help build a world where butterflies and moths thrive and can be enjoyed by everyone, forever.