Formed in 1962 as The Wiltshire Trust for Nature Conservation Ltd, with just seven members contributing £1 per year, the trust was incorporated under the Companies Act on 23 July 1962. Involved in the creation of the trust was acclaimed author and poet John Buxton. The inaugural meeting was held at County Hall, Trowbridge with some 160 people attending. The trust began creating nature reserves in 1963 with the purchase of Blackmoor Copse. Within a decade, the trust owned nine more reserves, had received its first legacy gift and membership had grown to 800. As it reached its 20th anniversary, the trust owned 30 nature reserves and had 2,000 members. In 1989, the first Sarsen Trail & Neolithic Marathon was held, raising £21,500 which was used to buy Morgan's Hillnature reserve. For its 30th anniversary, in 1992, the trust formally changed its name to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. In 1994, the trust employed its first otter habitat project officer; at that time, there were no known otters in the county. In 2012, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust featured three reserves in the "Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts's Guide to Otters", a testament to the success of the project. In its 50th year, 2012, the trust owned and managed 37 nature reserves. As of 2020, the Trust owns and manages 40 nature reserves and has 20,000 members across Wiltshire.
Activities
The trust now owns and manages 40 nature reserves, including three farming operations. It also works to encourage Wiltshire's communities to live sustainable lifestyles that protect the environment, engaging the public on issues such as recycling. It is active in schools and community projects and it works with people experiencing mental health issues, using the environment as a tool to mental and physical well-being. It issues a variety of publications including a members magazine, Wiltshire Wildlife. Its digital presence includes social networking, such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Working with Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council, it produces an annual State of Nature report. The report, first published in 2012 with the title State of the Environment, tracks the changing environment, highlights future issues and provides recommendations on a variety of topics affecting the county. The trust undertakes a wide variety of projects to engage local residents with its work, and to develop an understanding and love for the natural environment. As of 2020, these activities include:
Wild Landscapes – the team works to create green spaces for wildlife and people.
Well-being focuses on helping people experiencing mental health issues such as stress and depression by using nature to promote well-being.
Wild Connections enabling people of all ages to connect with nature
Milestones connecting vulnerable and marginalised young people to their local environment by participating in practical conservation activities.
Building Bridges supporting people across Swindon and Wiltshire by helping them develop skills, access education and move back into work.
Lakeside Care Farm offering children, young people and adults with individual needs with meaningful education and work-based experiences.
Waste Minimisation raises awareness of the issues of waste, and encourages people to reduce their rubbish.
Through its Forest Schools workshops it gets local schoolchildren to engage with the environment.
Wiltshire has a large military population and the trust runs community-based programmes that encourage military families to get outside and connect with nature and local residents. It is also working with the charity Help for Heroes, aiding injured service personnel to recover through carrying out conservation tasks at Tedworth House.
Nature reserves
The trust owns and manages 38 nature reserves across the county. Among these are the following Sites of Special Scientific Interest:
In 2013, the trust's nature reserve at Clattinger Farm was named as one of the first Coronation Meadows, to mark the 60th anniversary of The Queen's coronation.
The trust is part of the national living landscapes project to restore, re-create and reconnect conservation sites with the wider countryside across England.
Within the trust's headquarters at Devizes is the . Its role is to collect, collate, manage, interpret and disseminate relevant information for the county. Data from WSBRC is publicly available.
