Nigel Doar (Head of Science and Research) considers the need for more and better evidence to help nature’s recovery and looks at The Wildlife Trusts’ approach to tackling it.

The importance of data, research & evidence

A recent survey revealed that more than 80% of Wildlife Trust staff believe that evidence is ‘very important’. We think of ourselves as being (amongst other things) ‘evidence-led and solution-focused’. Collecting and analysing data, monitoring change, accumulating biological records and generating good evidence by commissioning and carrying out research are in our DNA. We understand deep down that they will help everyone take meaningful and effective action, so that together we can achieve more for the recovery of nature, a stable climate and the benefit of society.

And we’re far from alone in that. Twenty years ago, a group of conservation scientists set out to make it easier for the conservation community to access better evidence about what works in nature conservation. This led to the creation of the well-known Conservation Evidence initiative led by Professor Bill Sutherland at the University of Cambridge.