Contact Us

Nightingale - Chris Gomersall/2020VISION

Become a member (https://www.wildlifebcn.org/become-member)

Donate (https://www.wildlifebcn.org/support-us/donate)

Volunteer (https://www.wildlifebcn.org/get-involved/volunteer)

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire HQ is based in Cambourne, but we have staff based in each county.

To direct your enquiry to the relevant contact as quickly as possible, please review and select the relevant option from below.

Membership

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming one of our highly valued members, or if you want to discuss your membership with us, please do get in touch with our friendly membership team.

Email: Membership@wildlifebcn.org

Tel: 01954 713543

Sick or injured animals

If you have an urgent enquiry about injured wildlife please call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

See our FAQs for information about sick, injured, or dead animals

Report a wildlife crime

Reporting wildlife crime ensures incidents are formally logged with the police, enabling easier research of wildlife crime at a later date if required. There is no reason to approach individuals committing offences. Find out more about Wildlife Crime.

Wildlife crime includes:

Poaching
Killing protected species
Disturbing protected species
Damaging the breeding and resting places of protected species
Illegally trading in endangered species

To report a wildlife crime:

If you witness a wildlife crime taking place, call 999
For a non-emergency call 101
If you would like to anonymously give information regarding a crime, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Report an issue on a reserve

For emergencies, please contact the emergency services on 999.

If you believe a wildlife crime has taken place, the local police should be the first contact, please see details above, which includes some details of what constitutes a wildlife crime.

For other enquiries please use the email below and include the name of the reserve in the subject line.

cambridgeshire@wildlifebcn.org

Where are your nature reserves and what activities are permitted?

We manage over 100 nature reserves over our three counties, each with different characteristics.

Reserve Search

Our reserves are managed for the preservation of wildlife and the majority are open to the public for the quiet enjoyment of nature.

Guidelines for visiting our reserves

Volunteering

For volunteering enquiries please email us at: cambridgeshire@wildlifebcn.org or bedfordshire@wildlifebcn.org or northamptonshire@wildlifebcn.org (depending on where you live) and remember to let us know if you are a member!

Report a wildlife sighting

Please do tell us about the wildlife you have spotted in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire and on our reserves! Your information will increase our knowledge of our local wildlife and its distribution, and help us to make better decisions about conservation management.

Swifts - Please do let us know of any swift sightings across our three counties as we are currently in need of more data about them.

Find out more about swifts and recording swift sightings

Monitoring Facebook group - join our research and monitoring facebook group to post photos or questions about sightings of any species that you think may be of interest. And if you want to know more about the sighting one of the local experts in the group may be able to help.

Local Record Centres - There are three Local Record Centres hosted by the Wildlife Trust BCN, which together cover the Local Authority areas of Bedfordshire and Luton, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and Northamptonshire.

Bedfordshire and Luton Biodiversity Recording and Monitoring Centre (BRMC) bedsbionet.org.uk email: brmc@bedsbionet.org.uk
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Environmental Records Centre (CPERC) cperc.org.uk email: data@cperc.org.uk
Northamptonshire Biological Records Centre (NBRC) northantsbrc.org.uk email: nbrc@northantsbrc.org.uk

Find out more here.

They need to know:

What – the species (and number if more than one)
When – the date seen
Where – the location of the sighting (a grid reference or postcode is best)
Who – contact details in case any further details are needed

Help identifying a species

The best way to get some input from local experts and as well as Wildlife Trust staff would be to join up to our research and monitoring facebook group

We are currently running a scheme called ‘wildlife from home’ where you can upload your photos and get help on ID. See here for more info: https://www.wildlifebcn.org/blog/josh-hellon/wildlife-home

Unfortunately due to our limited resources and the urgent need for us to prioritise work that has the biggest impact on helping wildlife we are unable to help identify pictures emailed to us.

How can I help wildlife in my garden?

There are numerous ways in which you can help wildlife in your own garden, from creating bug hotels and bird nest boxes to providing hibernation spots for frogs and toads. Visit our wildlife gardening page or our wildlife actions section for ideas and inspiration.

If you have a snake in your garden:

Please don't be concerned. It is very likely to be grass snake or slow worm (legless lizard) – both are harmless.

Snakes are protected by law in the UK. Grass snakes seek out piles of rotting vegetation in which to lay their eggs in early summer, and the snakes and their eggs are protected by law from killing and injury. If you find grass snake eggs, report the sighting to your local Biological Records Centre (see below). Your sightings can help local understanding of where Grass Snakes live.

Adders are the only venomous snake in the UK with a bite that is painful, but rarely dangerous. They only really bite when disturbed and are rare in Beds, Cambs and Northants. They are easily recognised from vigzag markings on their back.

How to help hedgehogs

Hedgehogs usually hibernate between November through to mid March, but they can sometimes be seen out and about during this period changing nesting sites. It is unusual to see a hedgehog staggering around during winter or in daylight, so if you do see one and it looks unwell, it might need a helping hand. Contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society who can offer advice and help you find a local rescue centre.

Download the Wild About Gardens for Hedgehogs leaflet to find out more about hedgehogs and how to make your garden hog friendly

Shepreth Wildlife Park run a Hedgehog rehabilitation/rescue centre
Hospital Tel: 07505 651968
Out of hours emergency line: 07771 457693

Our Postal Address

The fastest way for us to see and respond to your message is by email. But if you would like to send us a letter by post regarding work in any of our counties, please send it to:

The Wildlife Trust BCN, The Manor House, Broad Street, Great Cambourne, Cambridge CB23 6DH

Email: cambridgeshire@wildlifebcn.org

General Enquiries

For all other enquiries please email us at: cambridgeshire@wildlifebcn.org or bedfordshire@wildlifebcn.org or northamptonshire@wildlifebcn.org and remember to let us know if you are a member!

Plus information on volunteering enquiries

Filming with BBC Look East by Caroline Fitton

Media Centre

We can also help with wildlife experts to interview in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire or Northamptonshire or provide photographs or information about local wildlife and our reserves.

Contact our media team

Filming and photography on nature reserves: please fill out our film request form if you would like to do some filming or commercial photography on our nature reserves.

Film request form

Find your local learning experience

Our Activity Centres provide wonderful natural settings with dedicated teams leading engaging ways for families to enjoy the outdoors. These include bug hunts, pond dipping, den building, insect days and night adventures looking for bats, glow worms and magnificent moths.