The quiet champions of Britain's countryside
By Eleanor Williams, Media & Communications Manager at GWCT
2026 Schöffel Countryside Awards – in partnership with GWCT
From restoring rivers in Norfolk and protecting breeding waders in Northern Ireland to collaborative farmer clusters in Yorkshire and innovative habitat management in Scotland, The finalists of this year's Schöffel Countryside Awards demonstrate that conservation success comes in many forms. As we wait to hear who the winners are, what lessons can the wider countryside learn from those leading the way?
Every day across Britain's private land managers, farms, estates and partnerships dedicated to wildlife management and conservation are helping to improve the health of the British countryside, but their efforts rarely make the headlines.
They plant hedgerows, manage and restore wetlands, create and improve habitats for declining species, monitor wildlife populations and find practical ways to balance food production with nature recovery. Often, they do it because they believe it is simply the right thing to do, not because they expect recognition.
The Schöffel Countryside Awards, in partnership with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), were created to celebrate these people who deliver ‘working conservation’ – practical, on-the-ground action. Whether it's an individual improving just a few acres or a collaborative landscape-scale project involving multiple farms and estates, the awards aim to showcase the people quietly making a lasting difference.
More than 70 nominations were received from which 28 finalists have been shortlisted across six categories. These countryside heroes include individuals, farms and estates from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The judges have spent the spring and summer visiting these projects and individuals, and the winners will be crowned at a ceremony hosted by Coutts Landed Estates in London in November.
The awards cover six categories: Working Conservationist, Nature-Friendly Farm or Estate, Innovation in Conservation, Farm-Environment Partnership, Wetland & Watercourse Conservation and Rising Star.
Cultural importance of the British rural landscape
Adrian Thornton-Berry, farmer from North Yorkshire and founding member of Swaledale and Wensleydale Environmental Farmers Group (SWEF), which has been shortlisted in the Farm-Environment Partnership category, says: “I was genuinely surprised and very proud to learn that SWEF had been nominated for the Schöffel Countryside Awards.
“Supporting SWEF is something I care passionately about because it represents the living heritage of the Yorkshire Dales, from native sheep breeds and traditional farming on the hills and in the valleys, to the iconic dry stone walls that help make these landscapes such important havens for wildlife and biodiversity.
"By seeking other funding for upland farming families who are threatened following removal of government support, SWEF aims to conserve the generational knowledge essential to enhance biodiversity and ensure these managed landscapes remain productive, environmentally resilient and culturally significant for the future.”
One of the judges is last year's standout winner Rupert Brewer, game and wildlife manager at the Bisterne Estate, who took home both the Working Conservationist and Wetland & Watercourse Conservation awards.
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"Winning not one, but two awards was unbelievable," he says. "It was fantastic to get recognition for the work and commitment that has been put in over many years. Conservation is something I've always done because I believe it's the right thing to do, not because I was aiming for an award."
The recognition has opened unexpected doors.
"Since the awards I've been invited to give keynote speeches and host tours of the estate to showcase what we've achieved. Winning really helped highlight the work that had been going on, often quietly, for years."
This year Rupert joins the judging panel, bringing first-hand experience of what successful conservation looks like on the ground.
"My achievements have only been made possible by following GWCT advice and contributing to its research," he says. "When I'm judging, I'll be looking beyond the headline results. I'll be looking for the passion, commitment and long-term effort that successful conservation demands."
Tom Hilder, senior nature-based solutions officer with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and winner of last year's Rising Star award has also joined the judging panel.
For Tom, the awards represent something much bigger than a trophy.
"These awards provide a space for people from all walks of life to come together and share their passion for UK wildlife," he says. "It's something that, as a nation, we should be collaborating on much more."
As one of the younger judges, he hopes to bring a fresh perspective while encouraging others at the start of their careers to put themselves forward.
"If you know someone who's going above and beyond for wildlife, nominate them next year. Even more so, if you've been quietly getting on with conservation for years and think it's 'just your job', take a step back and look at what you've actually achieved. You might be surprised."
For the GWCT, the awards reflect a wider message that evidence-led conservation is being delivered every day by people managing Britain's countryside. While policy debates often dominate the headlines, genuine wildlife recovery frequently depends on the practical decisions made by farmers, gamekeepers, land managers and conservationists working on the ground.
Whether restoring a stretch of river, managing an estate for biodiversity or bringing neighbouring farms together, this year's finalists demonstrate that successful conservation isn't defined by acreage or budget, but by commitment, innovation and a willingness to work with nature.
Discover the finalists in each award category and go behind the 2026 Awards.
Find all the articles in the CJS Focus on...Countryside Management Series here
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