Find out how you can help wildlife with our 10 simple tips. Even doing something small can make a big difference.
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Avoid peat-based composts
A healthy peatland bog can store huge amounts of rainwater which can reduce flooding risk. Bogs are also very valuable in the fight against climate change as they lock up vast amounts of carbon. In fact, they can store far more carbon than trees.
Butterfly Conservation’s ‘Bog Squad’ volunteers work tirelessly to restore this invaluable habitat but by avoiding peat-based compost you too can make a difference.
Join the Soil Revolution to discover how and why we must save peatland habitat. -
Keep your garden or greenspace chemical free
Cut down on your use of herbicides and pesticides. These chemicals kill butterflies, moths and other pollinating insects, such as ladybirds, beetles and spiders – the natural enemies of your garden pests.
More than three-quarters of the UK’s butterflies have declined in the last 40 years and evidence suggests that neonicotinoid pesticides, in particular, are one of the causes of these declines. Find out more about the link between Neonicotinoids and butterfly declines.
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Don’t buy single-use plastics
Pop a flask or reusable bottle in your bag next time you are out and about. Make this a habit and cut your weekly bottle buying altogether, stopping 52 bottles ending up in landfills and oceans.
More than 2,600 plastic bottles a year would be stopped from entering our environment altogether if just 50 people packed a flask instead of buying a bottle. Small changes can make a big difference.
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Shop locally, shop organically
If you have the chance, buying fresh organic food is a great way to support local farmers, reduce your carbon footprint and support nature with your food choices.
Find an organic farm shop near you. -
Record the wildlife near you
Recording the wildlife where you live provides vital information which helps conservationists protect the environment. The information is used by the government to reveal the health of the environment at national, UK and European levels.
Recording and monitoring programmes help Butterfly Conservation direct our conservation effort where it is needed most.
Take part in our world-renowned recording schemes. -
Re-use and Recycle
Reducing the amount of “stuff” you consume has the greatest benefits for the planet. It’s best to avoid waste in the first place, so think more carefully about your purchases.
Re-using items saves the natural resources and energy needed to manufacture new ones - as well as saving money.
Find out about recycling programs near you. -
Reduce your carbon footprint
Even the smallest effort to reduce your carbon footprint can make a difference. On short journeys why not ditch the car in favour of walking or cycling, could you car share with a colleague to get to work or use public transport instead?
How big is your footprint? WWF will find out for you. -
Plant pollinator-friendly plants
Help butterflies, moths and other pollinators without breaking the bank, by adding a container of nectar plants to your doorstep, balcony or back garden this spring. Plots For Pollinators is a project for everyone; you don’t need a garden or green fingers to be able to grow a plant that will help our struggling butterflies and bees.
Why not Plant a Plot for Pollinators? -
Volunteer for a wildlife or environmental organisation
Butterfly Conservation relies on the support of thousands of volunteers who contribute an estimated 175,000 days of time per year which is the same as 800 full-time staff. Without them, we could not do our work.
Whether it be getting hands-on with conservation work or recording the butterflies and moths that you see, there is a wide range of opportunities for people who would like to get involved, whatever your age or experience.
Find out how you can volunteer with Butterfly Conservation -
Inspire others.
Helping to save butterflies, moths and other wildlife can be fun whether you are five or 105. Share your love of the natural world with those around you, encourage your family and friends to take part in outdoor activities.
Encouraging others to see the value and beauty of nature and its wildlife may be the most important way to help save it.
Find out how you can get involved with our work