This weekend our team headed to London to represent TreeSisters at the RestoreNatureNow march. Miriam, our Head of Business Partnerships was there and tells us all about the day.
On June 22nd, myself, our CEO Georgina and Learning and Engagement Manager Ceri, joined thousands of passionate individuals in the streets of London for the #RestoreNatureNow march. Many of us have lost our connection to the natural world and we must remind ourselves that we are Nature. For the sake of Earth and all future generations, we must stand for the rights of Nature to be acknowledged and respected.
We met at Hyde Park, eager and energised, sporting our bright pink ‘Restore Nature Now’ stickers and TreeSisters t-shirts. The atmosphere was filled with hope.
The march buzzed with energy, and the streets were adorned with hundreds of vibrant placards all featuring catchy slogans. Model birds were soaring the skies high above, with paper butterflies fluttering joyfully, and there were umbrellas covered in vibrant green leaves and tiny ladybirds. It was a poignant reminder of the precious wildlife we're at risk of losing. Nature truly embraced us that day, as we united to protect it.
As we marched towards Parliament, we were surrounded by the uplifting sounds of drumming and the peaceful songs of the Climate Choir, both raising awareness of the urgent climate and nature emergency. It was inspiring to see over 300 organisations and more than 100 businesses come together to demand governmental action for nature. Their calls included making polluters accountable, establishing a legal right to a healthy environment, increasing funding for nature-friendly farming, creating more spaces for nature, and implementing a fair and effective climate act.
As we reached Parliament Square, we saw many inspirational speeches such as those by naturalist Chris Packham and Steve Backshall, as well as Nadeem Perera, whose talk was a powerful celebration of the importance of diversity in the battle to protect Nature. Diversity was celebrated as a fundamental part of the march. Everyone's voice counts, regardless of background, education, or age. We need diverse perspectives to address the challenges facing our natural world, and inclusivity is key to finding effective solutions.
Nadeem Perera talks at Restore Nature Now.
The unity and shared purpose of the day were truly heartwarming. Singing together for nature, cheering for biodiversity, and feeling a collective sense of solidarity underscored the importance of our mission. Collectively, 100,000 people made it their mission to take a stand for Nature, it was the world's largest ever collaboration of NGO’s, Community groups and environmental groups to march for our Natural world and we were honoured to be a part of it.
In the UK, over the past 50 years 38 million birds have disappeared from our skies, 97% of our wildflower meadows have been lost since the 1930s, and 1 in 6 species in the UK is at risk of becoming extinct completely. There is no time to wait. We must act now.
This collective energy is especially crucial as we approach the next general election, as it emphasises the urgent need for change, and for nature to be at the centre of everyone’s minds.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who marched with us, raising their voices for nature. The day reinforced our commitment to our mission and reminded us that together, we can make a significant impact.
Thank you for standing with TreeSisters and supporting our vision of a restored and thriving natural world. Together we can be the change.
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