Welcome to Dorset Wildlife, the first issue of 2024. As always, the magazine is full of interesting articles about local wildlife and the work of Dorset Wildlife Trust staff and volunteers. The climate and ecological crises remain the greatest threats that we face and our work in addressing these locally is more vital than ever.

Our volunteers make a huge contribution to nature conservation in Dorset, and you can read about how our volunteer Water Guardians are helping to improve the condition of our rivers. Also find out more about the great work we are doing with farmers and landowners at Hogchester and Sculpture by the Lakes.

It is election year both locally and nationally with elections taking place across Dorset on 2 May 2024 (except in the Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole area), and a general election later in the year. Local councils and unitary authorities have a big part to play in shaping policies that affect our natural world from ensuring development is good for people and nature, to taking steps to improve the state of our rivers and green spaces. It is vital that nature has a voice and that’s why it’s crucial to engage with prospective MPs and councillors to ensure that they take account of the wildlife and nature issues that you care about. The elections are your opportunity to influence and vote for representatives who can help achieve a wilder future where you live. A wilder future means a world where wildlife and people can thrive, where nature helps address the climate emergency, and where everyone is inspired to play their part to help nature recover. Your conversation with a prospective candidate could make a real difference and together, we can ensure that nature becomes a top priority for our councils and government. Find out more about how you can make your voice heard.