ENGLISH naturalist Chris Packham unveiled his ‘People’s Manifesto for Wildlife’ last Wednesday, outlining nearly 200 inspiring ideas and hard-hitting measures designed to revive what he describes as “one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world” - the UK.

Best known for his television work, including the CBBC children’s nature series ‘The Really Wild Show’, Packham has teamed up with 17 independent wildlife experts, scientists and campaigners to outline new ways to reverse the ongoing decline of Britain’s wildlife.

Their recommendations are published in a unique, freely available manifesto, ahead of the ‘People’s March for Wildlife’, organised by Packham in London on Saturday.

“It’s time to wake up,” says Packham in the introduction to the manifesto. “We are presiding over an ecological apocalypse and precipitating a mass extinction in our own backyard. But – vitally – it is not too late. There is hope we can hold to, and there is action we can take.”

In the manifesto, Packham calls for immediate government action to halt the destruction of wildlife. He said: “There is a whole raft of ideas in the manifesto that are very practical – things that can be done today and make a difference tomorrow.

“There are measures Environment Secretary Michael Gove and other decision-makers in government can take which will cost them nothing and hugely benefit Britain’s wildlife.”

Among the proposals to revive the natural world for the benefit of all species, including humans, are:

• Every primary school in Britain to be twinned long-term with a farm to help children understand farming and food growing.

• Primary school classes to name and own significant urban trees in perpetuity to form lifelong bonds between people and trees.

• Replant 300,000km of hedgerows destroyed since 1960.

• Wildlife ponds for every industrial estate and all municipal parks.

• Swift/sparrow/starling boxes to be included in all new-build homes, with incentives for retro-fitting nest boxes on older properties

• Re-wild 10 per cent of UK uplands

• Ten per cent of every farm to be managed for wildlife through wide field margins, sown wildflowers, restored farm ponds and wetlands

• Introduce a pesticide tax and set target for a 50 per cent reduction in weight of pesticides used and number of pesticide applications per field by 2022. (France and Denmark have recently set targets for 50 per cent and 40 per cent reductions respectively; Denmark also announced a pesticide tax),

• Make 30 per cent of UK waters off-limits to commercial fishing,

• Ban scallop-dredging in UK waters.

• Outlaw the use of lead ammunition and snares, to bring UK in line with many European countries.

• Ban driven grouse shooting.

• Stop seal culling in Scotland

• Make all nature reserves dog-free (except for assistance dogs) and create new dog-walking hotspots with facilities for dogs and their owners.

• An independent public service body – Life UK – to oversee all environmental care, free from party politics and government interference.

Chris Packham said: “This is a People’s Manifesto – it’s not devised by the government, and we don’t have to wait for them to do something. We can do it ourselves.

“I want this manifesto to be a first draft to ignite public interest, so that people feel empowered to stand up and say ‘I’ve got ideas as well, and they work’. We know how to solve the problems, we just need to make it happen. If this manifesto can be a catalyst, I’d be delighted.”

In the manifesto, Cumbrian hill farmer and author James Rebanks said: “Some people think that ‘farmers’ and ‘environmentalists’ are locked in a fight about nature. I don’t. I think if it becomes a fight we all lose. It is time to put egos aside and work together to change things.”

A call on all food shoppers in Britain to help “create a food system that values and rewards nature-friendly farming, and discourages and disadvantages damaging farming practices. This requires all of us rethinking the way we live, shop, cook, and eat, and vote, so that we wean ourselves off the damaging farming that has fed us cheaply, but at an appalling price to nature.”

The manifesto also includes ideas for how the conservation movement can better involve young people, women, ethnic minorities, people with special needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. These ideas, suggested by Bella Lack and Georgina Locock, include a national campaign to promote the importance of nature for young people’s mental health, a conservation work placement programme and a nature apprenticeship scheme to widen access to conservation jobs.