Great British nature is in trouble. From polluted waterways to the threat of invasive species, Britain is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. And yet native species are receiving help from heroic conservation projects restoring habitats, educating communities and even reintroducing species.

23 native species conservation projects, undertaken by British zoos and aquariums, have been shortlisted for a prestigious national award in recognition of their heroic efforts. The Great British Wildlife Restoration seeks to shine a light on conservation going on all around us, with a winner depending on the votes of Members of Parliament and the House of Lords.

The competition shows a huge diversity in the types of conservation going on in Britain. They include preventing the extinction of Wales’ rarest tree, reintroducing harvest mice in Northumberland, the creation of nesting sites for swifts in Hertfordshire and even the breeding of medicinal leeches in Scotland.