Restore Nature Now march: Tens of thousands expected to flood London this weekend for wildlife and the planet

The Restore Nature Now march is scheduled to take place on Saturday (22 June), a joint march by some 200 different charities, activist groups, and organisations, as well as an estimated 50,000 Brits taking a stand for nature. They will unite to send a message to politicians ahead of the upcoming general election - that nature and the climate need to be given the attention and top priority status they deserve by the next government.

But who exactly is involved, why has the cause attracted so many supporters, and where is it all going down? Here’s everything you need to know:

Which groups have organised or are involved in the march?

The Restore Nature Now demonstration has been organised and is being supported by a massive collection of different conservation charities, climate action groups, and other environmental organisations totalling more than 200. Major players include the RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts, WWF, Friends of the Earth, the Woodland Trust, the National Trust, Plantlife, and Extinction Rebellion.

But many other groups will be supporting, everyone from rescue and conservation groups like the RSPCA, the British Divers Marine Life Rescue and Butterfly Conservation; to activist groups like Animal Rising, Just Stop Oil, and the Hunt Saboteurs; to those a little more out there - like Margate’s Crab Museum and the Grave Hill . However, organisers promise it will be a safe and peaceful event, suitable for families.

One of the driving forces behind the day is BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham - who has led similar demonstrations in the past. Packham is being joined and supported by a raft of other celebrity environmentalists, including Dame Judi Dench and Dame Emma Thompson, Steve Backshall, Liz Bonnin, Feargal Sharkey and Dr Amir Khan.

“We’re standing shoulder to shoulder - whether we’re from urban ponds or national nature reserves, from big charities or local direct action groups, we are all lovers of life on planet Earth and we are going to stop asking and start demanding that politicians protect the world we love,” Packham said. “So please bring your friends, your colleagues, your grandparents, your grandchildren. Get to the streets by bus, train, or bike - please just get here. We need to shout above the noise and make a difference. We will make a last stand for nature.”

Why are they marching?

The UK’s general election is just weeks away now, making it a more important time than ever to make sure the environment is on the forefront of the next government’s mind - with Britain and the world alike in the midst of nature and climate emergencies. The election comes as world has just passed its 12th consecutive month of record-breaking high temperatures, with scientists and even the UN crying out for leaders to clamp down on greenhouse gas emissions to try and curb this. At the same time, pundits are concerned by either not enough action - or in some cases, what seems like steps in entirely the wrong direction by the country’s two biggest parties.

Britain’s waterways are also plagued by a sewage pollution crisis, with sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas more than doubling in 2023. Meanwhile, last year’s State of Nature report warned that one in six species in Great Britain was at risk of disappearing.

Rebecca Wrigley, chief executive of Rewilding Britain 0 one of the groups behind the Restore Nature Now march - told PA: “The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world with just half (53%) of its biodiversity remaining. We need our next government to make radical changes to reverse this decline and commit to nature recovery, including rewilding, for wildlife, people and the planet.”

Organisers have a list of five specific demands for the future government. The first is ‘a pay rise for nature’ - or for the government’s budget for nature and climate friendly farming to be doubled. “Farmers manage 70% of UK land and have a huge role to play in supporting environmental recovery,” it says on the event website. “But they need more support.”

The second is to ‘make polluters pay’. This means any big business, from water firms involved in the UK’s sewage crisis, to energy companies, or even large retailers, would be required to financially contribute to nature and climate recovery efforts. Marchers also want more space for nature - to improve and expand the 3% of English land and 8% of its waters currently fully protected for nature and wildlife.

Protesters are calling for everyone in Britain to have the right to a healthy environment, including access to nature and unpolluted water and air, governed by an Environmental Rights Bill. Finally, they want fair and effective climate action. “We cannot save nature without solving the climate crisis. We want investment in warm homes and lower bills by increasing home energy efficiency, supporting active travel and public transport, and replacing polluting fossil fuels with affordable renewables to ensure we at least halve UK emissions by 2030,” organisers wrote.

When and where will it be?

The march will take place on Saturday (22 June). It will begin at 12pm, with protesters gathering on Park Lane in Central London. The march itself will begin an hour later, at 1pm, and will follow Piccadilly before turning toward Trafalgar Square and heading down Whitehall to Parliament Square.

At Parliament Square there will be a rally beginning at about 2.15pm with guest speakers, to continue until about 4.30. The protest action has been declared to police and to Royal Parks and has full legal permission, meaning there will be road closures in the area drivers might want to be aware of.

Amber Allott is NationalWorld’s environment and sustainability specialist, covering all things green - from climate to conservation. If you liked this article you can follow Amber on X (Twitter) here and sign up for the free daily NationalWorld Today newsletter here - with Amber bringing you the UK's most important, pressing, weird and wonderful environmental stories every Tuesday.