How our wildlife vets are helping give a £3 billion boost to the economy - ZSL

From wildlife recovery to food security, a project to decode the DNA of all complex life in the UK and Ireland could bring huge returns on investment and growth in scientific research. Our wildlife vets are part of the team behind the cutting-edge project.

As a conservation charity with 200 years of experience in working to protect the natural world, we know the importance of investing in nature.

Today (16 April 2026), a report in Frontier Economics highlights how an exciting project to map the DNA of wildlife in the UK and Ireland could generate up to almost £3 billion for the economy across agriculture, conservation, and research over the next 30 years – helping secure a better future for people and nature alike.

The Darwin Tree of Life Project

Launched in 2019, The Darwin Tree of Life Project aims to sequence the genetic codes - also known as genomes - of the estimated 30,000 animals, plants and fungi species that call the British Isles home.

ZSL scientists and wildlife vets at our Institute of Zoology are contributing their vital expertise to the project, helping empower researchers, conservationists and policymakers to make informed decisions to protect species and the ecosystems that they underpin.

Today’s report highlights how the knowledge gained from this project, which is led by the Wellcome Sanger Institute, could support the UK economy through strengthening crop resilience, driving advances in medicine and biotechnology, and optimising conservation projects.

The project is already making a difference, empowering conservation action and saving scientists around the world £55 million through providing free access to over 2,500 reference genomes.