On Saturday 22 June, the RSPB joined 350 other supporting organisations, and over 60,000 individuals, on the streets of London to deliver a message to the political parties, the press and the public: we must Restore Nature Now.
In the biggest march for nature to-date, thousands of you – the RSPB’s members, supporters, local groups, staff and volunteers – joined us to rally for our environment. Alongside 350 other organisations, including Wildlife and Countryside Link, WWF-UK, National Trust, Extinction Rebellion, BTO, The Wildlife Trusts and WWT, we shared our five joint asks with political parties and the public, outlining essential actions needed to protect our environment.
Thanks to your voices, we delivered our message loud and clear. Nature lovers and climate campaigners came together to demonstrate unity and passion, ahead of the General Election. It’s a crucial time for nature as the next UK Government will be responsible for ensuring that we meet legally binding targets for nature’s recovery by 2030.
The fun, family-friendly demonstration assembled in Park Lane, London, before following the route through Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square, towards Parliament Square.
Live drumming, song and puppetry accompanied the march through the capital, and our very own Avocet puppets took flight through the city streets. One Avocet puppet, Hazel, even travelled all the way down from RSPB Old Moor, Sheffield, with her team of handlers, made up of staff and volunteers!
The march was led by Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin, along with the RSPB’s president, Dr Amir Khan. Celebrities, including Dame Emma Thompson, joined the march to show their support for nature and demand that our environment is made a priority by all political parties.
Upon arriving in Parliament Square, speakers took to the stage to address the crowd. Katie-Jo Luxton, Executive Director for Global Conservation at the RSPB, shared the successes of the People’s Plan for Nature with the crowd, while RSPB Ambassadors, Indy Kiemel Greene and Nadeem Perera, reminded the attendees of the importance of unity in the fight to save nature.
“Everyday I see action that brings me hope… we just need to scale it up and we need to go faster!” Katie-Jo Luxton - Executive Director for Global Conservation at the RSPB
On multiple occasions throughout the rally, members of the crowd were seen watching keenly as three Peregrines soared over Parliament Square. These falcon flypasts, from a species which faced severe declines in the 1960s, were a poignant reminder to the crowd that, with our help, nature can make a remarkable recovery.
With your support, we offered a voice for nature that could not be ignored. Every placard, every chant and every cheer made clear that protecting and restoring our natural world must be a priority for the next UK Government. United with the 350 organisations involved in the march, we championed five actions that whoever is in power after 4 July should take to Restore Nature Now:
• A pay rise for nature
• Make polluters pay
• More space for nature
• A right to a healthy environment
• Fair and effective climate action
If you’d like to learn more about future opportunities to get involved with campaigning alongside the RSPB, make sure to register your interest on our Campaigns update email:
Thank you for your support – we hope we will see you soon.
