Research projects funded by People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES)
This post is greater than 6 months old - links may be broken or out of date. Proceed with caution!
By Nida Al-Fulaij, Conservation Research Manager, People’s Trust for Endangered Species
The State of Nature report published by the RSPB and partners highlighted yet again the precarious future many of our much-loved flora and fauna face. The report, which is the most comprehensive to date on UK wildlife, revealed that a staggering one in six species are at risk of extinction. Household names such as hazel dormice, turtle doves and water voles are all listed as at risk of being lost if we don’t act fast, but sadly this isn’t just a UK wide issue: wildlife and the habitats it relies on are at risk the world-over.
Thankfully, despite this stark warning and the alarming statistics, there continues to be a plethora of dedicated organisations and people (including those reading this) who work tirelessly to stand up for, and protect, our natural world. The State of Nature did highlight that there are glimmers of hope where conservation work is having a clear benefit for nature and people. And, we know first-hand from our ongoing work that there are many examples of this globally as well as here in the UK.
At People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), we’ve been championing many of the UK’s native species and habitats – including hedgehogs, water voles, hazel dormice and traditional orchards – since 1977. With the help of our generous supporters and volunteers, we protect some of the most threatened wildlife on our doorsteps, and fund the very best conservation organisations, scientific researchers and wildlife experts out in the field through our various grants programmes.
In fact, over the last 45 years we’ve awarded £8 million to conservation projects all around the world, supporting over 200 species in over 60 countries - from red squirrels in Scotland to snow leopards in Mongolia. As a result, we’re unearthing the evidence that makes effective conservation action possible, which sets us apart from other wildlife organisations.
Here in the UK, we support the next generation of conservationists via our internship projects. Each intern receives £5,000 towards a specific project, whether that be footprint tracking small mammals, helping kelp to bounce back off the coast of Sussex or reintroducing red-billed choughs in Kent. Support is available throughout an intern’s project, and we often encourage them to publish their results (where appropriate) in relevant journals. Sometimes we promote success stories to the media too, which offers our interns experience in giving media interviews and communicating their work. We believe this is crucial, as too often ‘smaller’ nature success stories are left off the news agenda.
In addition to our internships, we also support academics and PhD students at leading institutions across the country who are working on UK mammal projects. The projects we currently fund include assessing the impact of roads and roadkill on hedgehog populations with Nottingham Trent University and looking at when and where hazel dormice hibernate with the University of Exeter, to name a few.
Another project we supported marked the triumphant return of native red squirrels to the Scottish Highlands, thanks to a pioneering translocation project. Since 2019, the Scotland-based conservation group Trees for Life has released red squirrels in three locations across the Highlands, two on the east coast and one on the west. In total, since the programme began, ten new populations of red squirrels have been established, free from the threat of competition and disease from non-native grey squirrels. The significant increase in both the number and range of reds will potentially make a huge contribution to the long-term conservation of the species in the UK.
But it’s not just UK wildlife that needs protecting, which is why we support international conservationists with their ground-breaking projects in a bid to help endangered species across the world. We’re extremely proud to have five Conservation Partners who are global leaders in their respective fields and who work closely with local communities to protect their chosen species. These include saiga antelope in Uzbekistan, slow lorises in Java, Indonesia, lions in Tanzania, snow leopards in Mongolia, and Persian leopards.
Alongside our Conservation Partners, smaller grants are also awarded for shorter international projects, from India’s striking looking golden langurs to the small and critically endangered El Rincon stream frogs in Argentina.
We’re delighted that a project we’ve funded in the Caribbean is now a success story: Caribbean communities have always been reliant on fishing local species, such as sea turtles, and these practices still have either subsistence or cultural importance to those that live there. However, this must be sustainable, and measures have to be put in place that ensure the species survive and thrive, whilst the communities can still enjoy the resources they offer. We supported the Marine Conservation Society’s work in the Turks and Caicos Islands to safeguard the future of its sea turtle populations, and the livelihoods of its fishermen, by developing new regulations to limit the size of turtles taken. The communities are now aware of - and care about - the regulations they helped design, and a sustainable balance is now in place.
Research – and the funding of research – is key, as it allows us to understand how species and habitats across the world are faring, as without this we remain in the dark and risk more species disappearing right before our eyes. But, with the ongoing work by our fantastic grant recipients, passionate interns, and dedicated volunteers, we can understand how nature is changing and continue to put conservation measures in place and ensure they work effectively.
The State of Nature report must be the final warning for us all; it’s not too late and we will continue to do everything we can save what we have left.
If you’re a conservationist or scientist looking for a grant, check our funding criteria and apply for one of our grants online. Visit www.ptes.org/grants