National Trust Embarks on Ambitious New Decade with Groundbreaking Strategy

A Landmark Anniversary and Bold New Vision

As the National Trust marks its 130th birthday in 2025, Europe’s largest conservation charity has unveiled an ambitious 10-year strategy that promises to reshape its approach to nature conservation and heritage protection. Shaped by more than 70,000 people including members, visitors, volunteers and staff, the new strategy represents the most comprehensive consultation in the organisation’s history.

The timing couldn’t be more critical. Nature is depleting faster in the UK than almost anywhere else in the world, and the National Trust is positioning itself at the forefront of efforts to reverse this alarming trend.

Three Core Objectives for the Future

The strategy commits to three main aims: restoring nature, ending unequal access to nature and cultural heritage, and inspiring millions more people to care and take action. These goals reflect both the urgent environmental challenges facing Britain and the charity’s determination to ensure that nature and heritage are accessible to all communities.

Among the initiatives is an innovative ‘Adopt a Plot’ scheme, allowing individuals to sponsor land within the charity’s six nature ‘super sites’ for £7.50 per month. The charity has also announced partnerships with Natural England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support urban green spaces, demonstrating its commitment to bringing nature closer to city dwellers.

Financial Challenges and Ambitious Fundraising

The strategy comes amid significant financial pressures. The charity’s income rose by £41.6m to £805m in 2024-25, while total expenditure increased by £56.5m to £811m. To fund its ambitious plans, the National Trust plans to fundraise more in the next decade than in the previous century.

The charity announced in July plans to cut 6% of jobs to save £26m due to increasing costs, though consultation with staff continues. Despite these challenges, the organisation remains financially robust, with conservation spending reaching record levels.

Looking Ahead: A New Chapter for Conservation

The National Trust’s new strategy represents more than organisational planning—it’s a call to action for the nation. With climate change accelerating and nature in crisis, the charity’s commitment to restoring 250,000 more hectares of nature-rich landscape and expanding urban green spaces could prove transformative for communities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For Britain’s 5.35 million National Trust members and millions more visitors, this marks an exciting new chapter in protecting the nation’s natural and cultural heritage for generations to come.