Join a Conservation Organisation

Is there a specific species or habitat that fascinates you? You could become a member of a national organisation that focuses on the conservation of your particular area of interest or expertise.

The cute and cuddly such as red squirrels and seals are often popular choices but there are many specialist groups that look at smaller species such as spiders, mosses and snails. One of the key roles of such societies is to maintain records for a particular species; monitoring changes so that active conservation work can be administered if required. They are also an excellent source of information and can help with identification of some of the trickier species.

If you enjoy all aspects of wildlife conservation then there are also a number of organisations that carry out general work to conserve our natural wildlife and heritage. 

Examples of the many conservation organisations that exist in the UK are listed below. Please let us know of any others that can be added.

Amphibians and Reptiles

British Herpetological Society

http://www.thebhs.org/

Froglife

http://www.froglife.org/

Herpetological Conservation Trust

http://www.herpconstrust.org.uk/

National Amphibian & Reptile Recording Scheme

http://www.narrs.org.uk/

Birds

British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)

http://www.bto.org/

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)

http://www.rspb.org.uk/

Insects

Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Society

http://www.bwars.com/

British Arachnological Society

http://www.britishspiders.org.uk/

Buglife

http://www.buglife.org.uk/

Butterfly Conservation

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/

Bumblebee Conservation Trust

http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk/

British Bryological Society

http://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/

British Dragonfly Society

http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/

Ephemeroptera Recording Scheme

http://www.ephemeroptera.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Royal Entomological Society

http://www.royensoc.co.uk/

Mammals

Badger Trust

http://www.badger.org.uk/

Bat Conservation Trust

http://www.bats.org.uk/

British Deer Society

http://www.bds.org.uk/

Friends of the Red Squirrel

http://www.saveoursquirrels.org.uk/

Mammal Society

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/mammal/

Seal Conservation Society

http://www.pinnipeds.org/

Molluscs

Conchological Society

http://www.conchsoc.org/

Malacological Society of London

http://www.malacsoc.org.uk/

Plants

Botanical Society of the British Isles

http://www.bsbi.org.uk/

Plantlife

http://www.plantlife.org.uk/

The National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens (NCCPG)

http://www.nccpg.org.uk/

Wildflower Society

http://www.thewildflowersociety.com/

British Plant Gall Society

http://www.british-galls.org.uk/

British Pteridological Society

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/bps/

Association of British Fungus Groups

http://www.abfg.org/

British Lichen Society

http://www.thebls.org.uk/

British Mycological Society

http://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/

British Phycological Society

http://www.brphycsoc.org/

General Wildlife Conservation

Marine Conservation Society

http://www.mcsuk.org/

National Trust

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)

http://www.wwt.org.uk/

Wildlife Trusts

http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/