UK & Europe | Conservation, Science & Education

Specialists

Find out more about the conservation experts who work on this project.

Philip Esseen

Curator of Botany & Horticulture

Ruby Merriman

Estate Biodiversity Manager

Scott Wilson

Head of Field Programmes

Mark Hargreaves

Senior Team Manager - Projects

Our long history of UK focussed conservation has delivered multiple projects supporting the restoration of a range of species and habitats. With one in six British species being threatened by extinction, our conservation projects taking place right here are more vital than ever. We have a wide-ranging set of skills and experts involved in this multifaceted work, with projects in the surrounding landscape but also land management on our own zoo site and nature reserve.

Our activities involve an extensive network of partners and varied audiences connected to the zoo. Through Wildlife Connections we have influenced and facilitated positive change for wildlife at a local and regional level and we will continue to build our relationship with local government to help shape and deliver regional environmental policies.

Great Crested Newt A UK Protected Species Set To Benefit From The New Chester Zoo Nature Reserve

Hedgehog's Have Been Spotted By Conservationists Monitoring Threatened Wildlife At Chester Zoo's Nature Reserve

Challenges

According to the 2016 State of Nature Report, the UK is one of the 'most nature-depleted countries in the world'.

With one in six species in the UK facing extinction, and more than half in decline, there is so much work to do on our own doorstep.

Threats from changes in agricultural practices, hydrological conditions and over-exploitation are key concerns in Europe.

Kingfisher Catching A Fish Out Of The Water

Our projects

Find out more about all of the projects we support in the UK and Europe.

UK & Europe

Networks For Nature

We’re creating a thriving, more connected, wildlife-rich landscape across Northwest Cheshire, for the benefit of people and nature, and maintained through community collaboration and partnership

UK & Europe

Biobanking

We’re creating a huge biobank dedicated to preserving and regenerating cells from the world’s most endangered species.

The Chester Zoo Nature Reserve Is Helping UK Species In Cheshire To Thrive (3) (1)

UK & Europe

Conservation starts at home

We’re working to make the zoo, the surrounding land, and Cheshire region the best it possibly can be for both the species within the area but also those that will visit Cheshire as part of their life cycle

Group Of Young School Children With Their Hands Raised

UK & Europe

Empowering the next generation through a conservation-based curriculum

Through our conservation curriculum work, we aim to put conservation at the heart of school curriculum.