The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire (WTBCN) is a wildlife trust covering the counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire in England.
The Trust manages 126 nature reserves covering 3,945 hectares of land, and it has over 35,000 members. All of the reserves are free to visit, and 95% of the population of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire live within five miles of one of its reserves.
The Trust is working to protect and increase the numbers and diversity of native wild plants and animals in our countryside.
The charity's name was changed in October 2011 from the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough to Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. However the trust still covers Peterborough.
Reserves include: Summer Leys, Pitsford Water and Old Sulehay in Northamptonshire; Grafham Water, Gamlingay Wood and Brampton Wood in Cambridgeshire and Pegsdon Hills, Begwary Brook and Flitwick Moor in Bedfordshire. Some reserves, such as The Riddy in Sandy, Bedfordshire are managed by the Trust despite being owned by other bodies, such as local town or parish councils.
Education centres and services
The Wildlife Trust has three environmental education centres, and works with local communities across the three counties, offering a range of opportunities to learn more about wildlife. This includes tailored learning for early years to sixth formers, under the ‘Really Wild Days Out’ programme linked to the national curriculum; project work for higher and further education students; teacher training sessions on environmental education for today’s teachers; learning opportunities and practical work for a variety of community groups; and family learning events enabling families with children to learn about wildlife together.