The Wildlife Trusts

The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) operate as an umbrella body for the 46 individual Wildlife Trusts, covering the whole of the UK, the Isle of Man and Alderney. The Wildlife Trusts manage around 2,300 nature reserves and run marine conservation projects around the coast. RSWT helps to co-ordinate the Trusts' activities and campaigning for wildlife at a UK level.

The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) is a registered nature conservation charity (charity number 207238), based in the UK and incorporated by Royal Charter.

RSWT is also a separate charity in its own right with the stated aim 'to promote the conservation and study of nature, and to educate the public in understanding and appreciating nature'.

Today RSWT is more commonly referred to as 'The Wildlife Trusts'. Read more about the work of The Wildlife Trusts.

More about RSWT

The Society started in 1912 when Charles Rothschild formed the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves (SPNR). The Society was granted its first Royal Charter by George V in 1916.

In 1976 the organisation changed its name to the Society for the Promotion of Nature Conservation (SPNC) – and in the same year was granted a new Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth II.

There was a further name change in 1981, to the Royal Society for Nature Conservation (RSNC).

The final name change occurred on 1 June 2004, when the organisation became the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) to reflect the relationship between the Society and the individual Wildlife Trusts, now collectively known as The Wildlife Trusts.

In 2012, the Wildlife Trusts celebrated their 100th birthday.

More information about The Wildlife Trusts

Find out more about the history of The Wildlife Trusts.

Further details about RSWT are also available from the RSWT page on the Charity Commission website