As a member of the National Trust, I receive its magazine.

One of the things the Spring 2020 magazine covers was climate change and what the Trust is doing to care for the places in its care as they are affected by it.

Things like daffodils appearing earlier; rope bridges being closed to visitors more frequently because of high winds; paintings being affected by the temperatures in the summer all point to a changing climate.  Houses close because of the heat, since it affects collections and the fabric of the building.  More pests and diseases are having an impact on the plants in the garden. 

Together they make a picture that’s uneasy and that the Trust is trying to deal with.  

The National Trust itself is taking measures to tackle climate change, such as a renewable energy investment programme. It’s pledged to reduce its use of fossil fuels by 50% by 2021.  It’s creating or restoring 25,000 hectares of natural habitats because areas such as wetland and woodland can capture and store thousands of tonnes of carbon. 

And the Trust has created Fit for the Future, which brings together some of the UK’s largest charities and landowners to fight the impact of climate change and rising energy costs.

So there’s lots the National Trust is doing, but as it points out, we all need to start lowering our impact on the world and start making changes.

The National Trust says there are five easy ways to make a difference are:

1. Waste less – less food, less energy and less water
2. Turn heating down and layer up (this is something Polar Bears International ask us all to do – they even have a Thermostat Challenge)
3. Use an online carbon calculator to find out your carbon footprint and to work out how you can reduce it. 
4. Can you walk, bike, car share or use public transport?
5. Get involved in Leap for Nature on 29 February and make a promise for nature this year.
   
   

Read the National Trust's 2019 wildlife and weather review

A great and truly giving way to help them is to dig deep and be willing to make changes ourselves to help wildlife. Do it for the koalas, the polar bears, the penguins, the puffins…. your favourite wildlife...