Our achievements

In April 1964, Sir Charles Connell and a small group of dedicated wildlife enthusiasts came together in Edinburgh to form the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

More than 60 years on and the Trust they built has grown into a Scotland-wide organisation with over 40,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 100 wildlife reserves. Each year, we celebrate numerous achievements ranging from successful restoration work on our reserves to engaging and inspiring with thousands of our supporters.

Below, you can view a slideshow of some of our recent achievements.

April 2022 – March 2023

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Impact Report
Our achievements

Completing a major habitat restoration project at Dullatur Marsh Wildlife Reserve near Cumbernauld, planting over 11,000 native trees and creating six wildlife ponds.

Constructing an extension to our sand martin bank at Gailes Marsh Wildlife Reserve in Ayrshire, the design of which has resulted in it being the most successful monitored sand martin bank in the UK.

Launching the Nextdoor Nature Pioneers Programme, a free skills development course to enable community-led conservation, with a first cohort of Nature Pioneers recruited in the greater Glasgow area.

Completing the latest phase of the Action for Nature in Ayrshire project, engaging local volunteers in a range of activities including installing bat boxes, planting trees and removing invasive plant species.

Concluding the five-year Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape Partnership Scheme which has seen a total of 39 projects delivered to benefit the local wildlife, people and economy.

Recording the first sighting in Scotland of the sallow-shoot piercer moth at the Trust’s Cathkin Marsh Wildlife Reserve near Glasgow.

Recording the lowest abundance of grey squirrels in the North East since Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels began thanks to the efforts of a network of volunteers who collectively undertook over 7,000 squirrel feeder box checks.

Supporting a wide range of online events enjoyed by thousands of people, from webinars live-streamed from our visitor centres to a series of six marine webinars delivered by our Living Seas team.

Restoring three urban peat bogs as part of the Trust-led Cumbernauld Living Landscape by re-wetting these important carbon-storing habitats.

Hosting students from across Scotland at our Montrose Basin Visitor Centre for a special youth event prior to the 2022 Sea Scotland conference.

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April 2021 – March 2022

Developing Scotland's first Nature Network in collaboration with the City of Edinburgh Council, identifying actions across the city to improve the urban environment for wildlife and people.

Receiving recognition for our community work in Cumbernauld, with the Trust-led Cumbernauld Living Landscape being referred to in the Scottish Parliament as one of the great community success stories.

Leading the Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape scheme which delivered 24 projects including improving Ben Mor Coigach’s Postie’s Path, supporting local crofters and enhancing native woodland.

Completing the latest phase of the Irvine to Girvan Nectar Network which, over three years, has seen 25 hectares of pollinator-friendly habitat created at 40 sites and engaged over 80 volunteers.

Further developing the Riverwoods initiative, producing an engaging storymap highlighting the importance of the habitat and securing funding to develop an Investment Readiness Pioneers project.

Enhancing and creating over 20 hectares of woodland habitat at our Loch Ardinning Wildlife Reserve, planting more than 11,000 native trees including oak, birch and hazel.

Recording the first successful breeding of golden plovers since 2004 on the Isle of Eigg, as well as the first recorded breeding success for redshanks.

Completing and publishing the Natural Capital Assessment of Orkney Waters as part of our Living Seas project.

Having a record year for butterflies at Rahoy Hills, with a doubling in the number of chequered skippers, the first record of a small copper (pictured) and the best year for Scotch argus butterflies since 1994.

Getting even more people engaged with Scotland's marine environment by launching a new snorkel trail on the Isle of Arran in partnership with local organisation, COAST.

Supporting 14 volunteer red squirrel groups to become independent as part of the completion of the most recent phase of the Trust-led Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels project.

Playing a key role in the development of a National Beaver Strategy and actively participating in the Scottish Beaver Forum, championing the role of the species as an ecosystem engineer.

Creating a series of engagement activities made available to every nursery and primary school in Scotland as part of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra's most recent early years programme.

Engaging the next generation of wildlife champions by growing our Wildlife Watch network to 37 groups.

Co-ordinating a wide range of online events, including a popular series of national webinars delivered in partnership with our local groups that covered topics from tracking skills to lynx reintroduction.

Engaging with 130 young people who faced barriers to employment through Earn Your Stripes - a partnership project run by the Trust and Scottish Badgers.

Providing over 2,400 people with opportunities to engage with nature during the three-year Ayrshire Community Engagement project.

Successfully campaigning for new legally binding nature targets in partnership with other members of Scottish Environment LINK, with Scottish Government committing to a new Natural Environment Bill.

Working with our Young Leaders to produce a Youth Manifesto for Action on Climate Change for the movement, published during COP26 following consultation with young people from across the UK.

Growing the Nature Finance Pioneers network which brings together individuals and businesses interested in exploring new ways to finance nature conservation in Scotland.

Supporting over 950 volunteers who delivered more than 28,000 hours of volunteering during the year and establishing conservation volunteer teams in the Highlands and Dumfries and Galloway.

Re-opening the visitor centres with Covid-safe measures while continually adapting to the needs of visitors and government guidance.

Analysing thousands of comments from members that helped shape the Trust’s Strategy 2030 which captures our priorities for the

We were also honoured to receive almost £1.1m in legacy gifts throughout the year and were notified by 12 supporters that they have included a gift to the Scottish Wildlife Trust in their Will.??

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