About the Philip Wayre Wildlife Trust

The Philip Wayre Wildlife Trust was founded in 1994 by the well known naturalist and conservationist Philip Wayre. The objects of the Trust are to encourage the protection of British wildlife and wild areas. The Trust makes every effort to interest and inform the general public about the astonishing variety of wild creatures and plants to be found in the English countryside. To this end one of the Trust's main objects is to acquire land to be managed for the benefit of wildlife in all its diversity.

The Trust is probably unique in that no money at all is spent on administration. Such work is carried out on a purely voluntary basis by dedicated supporters. This in turn means that every penny raised by the Trust goes directly into practical conservation.

The Trust is especially active in the uplands particularly the Northeast Pennines where its first reserve of over 450 acres is located. This reserve is especially important for its breeding waders which include Curlew, Redshank, Lapwing, Golden, Plover, Snipe and Dunlin. The rare and endangered Black Grouse is also an important species there. The number of male Black Grouse displaying each spring on a well established lek has more than doubled since the reserve was donated to the Trust by Philip Wayre five years ago.

In most parts of England the Brown Hare, one of our most attractive and mysterious mammals, is declining in numbers. This is largely because of changes in agricultural practices and shooting. Many thousands of hares are shot annually for sport. No other British mammal is surrounded by so much legend and folklore. One of the Trust's main objectives is to ensure the survival of this enchanting and secretive mammal.

Sheep and cattle are used to graze these upland areas in order to control the vegetation and thus provide suitable habitat for nesting waders and other birds. Skylarks, a species which has declined alarmingly in Britain over the last decade, are numerous on this reserve.

Wild flowers are carefully protected and several rare and unusual species are found there.

Please help us to acquire more land where our wildlife can flourish by your financial support and by remembering the Trust in your will.

Our supporters are always welcome to visit this reserve, and any other the Trust may be fortunate enough to acquire, by prior appointment with the warden.