Annual General Meeting

Full Question: 

At a time of acute and possibly irreversible biodiversity crisis, you need to make difficult decisions about the balance of time and financial resources between preserving what we still have and extending biodiversity through species reintroduction, and between physical activities and campaigning. I would be interested in hearing how these decisions are made and how often the current balance is reviewed.

Response:

Maintaining that balance is one of the most challenging aspects of our work. We are operating in the context of a significant biodiversity and climate crisis, and there are often difficult choices to make about where we focus our time, expertise and resources. There is rarely a simple answer, and we recognise that people can have different views on where the emphasis should sit.

Our starting point is our Wilder 2030 strategy, which was developed with input from members, staff, trustees, partners and external experts. This provides the long-term direction for the Trust. We then translate this into a three-year business plan, annual action plans and specific team objectives, all of which are reviewed regularly.

However, the plans themselves are only part of the answer. Decisions are made collaboratively across the organisation, drawing on the expertise of colleagues working in landscape recovery, community engagement, advocacy, education and commercial services. We work hard to bring different perspectives together, challenge our assumptions, consider evidence and data, and focus on where we believe we can have the greatest impact for nature.

The balance between protecting existing habitats, restoring degraded landscapes, enabling species recovery, influencing policy and engaging people with nature is continually discussed and reviewed. Progress against our plans is considered by leadership teams throughout the year and formally reviewed by our Board of Trustees each quarter, allowing us to adapt as circumstances, opportunities and evidence change.

Success depends on achieving the right balance between them, and that is something we continually reflect on as a team and with our Trustees

Members absolutely should have the opportunity to hold the Board and senior leadership team to account, and the AGM is an important part of that process.

We ask for questions to be submitted in writing, ideally two weeks before the AGM, for several reasons. The Trust is a complex organisation and no single individual holds all the information needed to answer every question fully and accurately. Advance notice allows us to involve the most appropriate trustees, staff and subject specialists so that members receive a complete and informed response.

Receiving questions in advance also helps us manage the AGM effectively by identifying common themes, ensuring all questions can be properly considered, and allowing sufficient time for the formal business of the meeting.

Our intention is not to limit scrutiny, but to support meaningful accountability by ensuring members receive well-informed answers to the questions they raise.