Membership of Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) has topped 24,000 for the first time in the charity’s history.

Over the past 61 years, HMWT has been relentless in its efforts to look after local wild spaces, protect wildlife, encourage conservation management in the wider countryside, getting local people and their communities engaged with nature and standing up for our natural world. Income from membership funds much of the charities work, with over £1.3million coming from this source in 2024/25.

Whilst there is an increasing amount of people supporting HMWT, this is against a backdrop of the UK being one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with one in six species at risk of extinction, rising costs and a political agenda that presents a further risk to the future of wildlife. 

Laura Burrows, Chief Executive, Herts and Middlesex Trust says,

“Our membership is the very essence of who we are as a charity, because our local impact is the result of collective commitment. What we have been able to achieve over the past 61 years on a local level is considerable but we are at a pivotal point in the nature and climate crisis – we know what we need to be doing and we need to do more now than ever before. To achieve this, we need more people to join our community, more funds, and more voices calling for our human right to nature.

“Green space should not be a benefit that only some of us are able to enjoy, everyone should have access to nature, no matter where they live. Nature delivers us so many health and wellbeing benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, as well as giving us food security and environmental protections against a changing climate. Let’s recognise we all need a liveable planet for us and future generations to exist.”

Lorraine Kirk, Member of Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust says,

“I spend a major part of my leisure walking in nature, bird watching, and in recent years I’ve got more into wildflowers and butterflies as well. I set out from my house, avoiding the use of the car and I love the fact that there are lots of protected spaces in walking distance. Trees, meadows and wild spaces lift my spirit and my hope is that gradually more people will start to feel like I do.

“Every nature reserve that exists is a beacon of hope and makes me feel a little bit more optimistic.”

Within the last three years, HMWT’s highlights include, securing the future of two new nature reserves – Astonbury Wood, near Stevenage and Archers Green, near Welwyn, managed the biggest habitat creation programme on a reserve in 10 years at Hilfield Park Reservoir, owned by Affinity Water and managed in partnership with HMWT, and restored 7km of the River Ash – a globally rare chalk river. And, over the last three months, the charity has rallied over 1,100 people to write to their local MP to oppose the draft Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

HMWT Membership Timeline:

• 1964 – Hertfordshire & Middlesex Trust for Nature Conservation officially registered
• 1967 – 601 members
• 1970 – 1,000 members
• 1977 – 5,100 members
• 2003 – 12,000 members
• January 2026 – 24,061 members 

To encourage new members, HMWT have an introductory offer of 50% off membership, which runs until the end of January 2026. For more details, click here.