Introduction to the Trust
Introduction
The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is a voluntary charitable organisation which cares for Lincolnshire's wildlife and countryside. It is one of 47 similar Wildlife Trusts covering the UK which are affiliated to the Royal Society for Nature Conservation. The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is one of the oldest of these county trusts, having been founded in 1948. The Trust covers the whole of the historic county of Lincolnshire – from the Humber to the Wash.
The Trust collaborates closely with many official and voluntary organisations including English Nature and the Countryside Agency, County and District Councils, the Country Landowners and Business Association, the Environment Agency and many others. It is regularly consulted by all these bodies on planning, land management and other countryside matters.
Mission Statement
The Trust's mission is to conserve wildlife and wild places in Lincolnshire and to promote understanding and enjoyment of the natural world and the need to protect it.
Aims and objectives
The Trust's objectives are the conservation of wildlife and the natural features of the countryside, the promotion of education, and the encouragement of research into all aspects of wildlife and conservation in the historic county of Lincolnshire.
These objectives are pursued by:
- Establishing nature reserves to protect a representative series of all the main natural and semi-natural habitats which occur in the county together with their characteristic plant and animal communities, including ancient woods, meadows, heaths, wetlands and coastlands. The Trust already owns or manages some 8,000 acres in it's nature reserves.
- Promoting protection and appropriate management in the countryside and urban areas for endangered wildlife and the features which support biodiversity, including where possible the large scale restoration and re-creation of habitats.
- Working with planning and regional authorities concerning sustainable development policies, advising on planning applications and Local Plans, and promoting good environmental practice in agriculture and all activities that affect wildlife and wild places.
- Facilitating the recording, storage and use of data and general information about wildlife and sites of wildlife interest.
- Encouraging better understanding and enjoyment of wildlife and the countryside through education and interpretation. This is achieved through an education programme aimed at schools and communities, lectures and special events, an extensive website, open days, and literature and on-site interpretation for nature reserves. There are four principal sites with education and visitor facilities: Gibraltar Point near Skegness, Whisby Nature Park near Lincoln, Snipe Dales near Horncastle and Far Ings near Barton-on-Humber.
How the Trust is organised
A Council of members elected at the Annual General Meeting and representatives of Area Groups appoint a Board of Trustees. The Board is responsible for policy matters and the general conduct of the Trust's affairs. It appoints Teams, consisting of members and staff to advise on the full range of the Trust's activities. There are 17 Area Groups, which promote the Trust's activities and organise members' events at a local level.
How the Trust is funded
The Trust's income is derived mainly from members' subscriptions, money raised by Area Groups and members, donations, grants from local authorities and government agencies (usually for special projects), profits on the sales business and legacies. A Conservation Fund, mainly derived from legacies, has been established which is invested to produce a regular source of income.
The Trust Staff
The Trust's staff of around 65, headed by the Chief Executive, works in close partnership with volunteers. Senior staff based at the Banovallum House headquarters office include Assistant Directors for Conservation, Nature Reserves and Finance.
There are outposted staff at each of the four principal centres and elsewhere.
