Think about adopt a…. something and it’s normally an animal as a gift for someone or as a gift for nature, to give something back. There are other types of adoptions which benefit the natural world and more than one species at the same time, due to the number of species the adoption will support.
I’m talking about adoptions such as adopt a pond, sponsor a seagrass pod or adopt koala habitat. These sorts of adoptions are about providing much needed and essential habitat for wildlife and marine life.
Here are just some of them. Now these are in the UK for the most part, but you can always google yourself to see if there’s anything you can sponsor or adopt in your area.
Safeguard the future of wetlands and their wildlife by adopting a wetland from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT). There are different UK venues available - at the time of writing (Oct 2023) these were Arundel, London, Slimbridge and Martin Mere. Wetlands are vital for all our health and well being - find out more about them here.
Somerset Wildlife Trust say that 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost in the UK since the 1940s, and yet they support many different kinds of plants, and give really important habitat for wildlife to feed, breed and pass through. You could adopt a meadow for £30.00 and help them manage both their own reserves and to work with farmers, communities and other landowners on more sensitive grazing and cutting rotations and to manage hedgerows carefully
This one would be great for amphibian and reptile lovers, as it is through the charity Froglife. Ponds are vital habitats for frogs, toads and newts and a whole variety of other wildlife such as small mammals, birds, invertebrates and aquatic plants. Freshwater habitats can also act as carbon sinks and flood defences. Froglife is creating and restoring ponds in several regions of the UK as a way of undoing the damage to pond habitat. Sponsor a pond from £50.00. Hop or slither over to Froglife to find out more!
Cheshire Wildlife Trust have an urgent appeal (February 2023 and ongoing) to raise £200,000 to buy land for a new nature reserve. You can sponsor a 3m x 3m area for £20.00 or for £65.00 you can sponsor an acre and support its re-wildling. You can buy a number of 3m x 3m areas so you could end up sponsoring quite a few pieces of what is, effectively, like a jigsaw! For each donation, you’re allocated a 3m x 3m square and you can even name it and dedicate it to someone special! Cheshire Wildlife Trust have other appeals as well.
Sponsor a seagrass pod
For £20.00 you can sponsor a seagrass pod with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. They want to plant an additional 2,000 plus into the waters of the Solent – and so if you can sponsor a seed pod for £20.00, you’ll be helping them to restore, protect and monitor this very important habitat. In the UK, estimates suggest that we have lost 92% of seagrasses this century. Seagrasses are eco-system engineers, since they can have a big impact on the environment in which they are found. They create habitats which can become biodiversity hotspots, home to species such as cuttlefish, seahorses and crab. Find out more
Help the Woodland Trust boost the UK's declining hedgerows. They are a key source for wildlife, acting as a place to rest, nest, feed and link between habitats. Help the Woodland Trust plant more hedgerows. Find out more.
Plantlife have an opportunity for everyone to adopt a reserve in Carmarthenshire, Herefordshire, Derbyshire, Caithness, Kent, Dorset, Rutland, Somerset or North Yorkshire... this is for £5,000. Find out more here...
You can also adopt an acre for £500 or adopt a flower, lichen or fungus for £20.00 or Adopt a Veteran Tree for £200.00
You could Adopt a Box with the Hawk and Owl Trust. They provide boxes for Peregrine, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl and Little Owl and of course these cost money to build, monitor, maintain and eventually replace. Adopt a Box and help these birds survive.
Buglife’s B-Line projects are taking place across the UK, to help recreate wildflower habitat for wild pollinators. Help Buglife help our invertebrates with this adoption, from £10.00