The medal was awarded at a small celebration at London Wildlife Trust’s Crane Park Island Nature Reserve this morning. It was given to Sir David by Charlotte Lane, grand-daughter of the Honourable Charles Rothschild and daughter of Dame Miriam Rothschild, pioneering conservationists in whose name the medal was created.
Charles Rothschild founded the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves which would later become The Wildlife Trusts. He was ahead of his time in recognising the need to protect natural habitats in order to save the wildlife that lived there. His daughter, Miriam, was a visionary scientist who dedicated her life to the natural world.
Sir David Attenborough credits Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust’s Tilton Cutting Nature Reserve with giving him his love of the natural world – he would explore it and search for fossils there as a young boy. Since then, Sir David has gone on to form a long association with The Wildlife Trusts, visiting and championing their work across the UK for six decades.
In 1985 he took on the role of Chair of British Wildlife Appeal and commenced a gruelling 14-day nationwide tour of 12 Wildlife Trusts raising £50,000 with his talk, Travels of a Naturalist. Five years later, with support from the future King, HRH The Prince of Wales, Michael Palin, and many others, the appeal raised over £16 million – nearly £40m in today’s money.
As well as taking on the role of President of The Wildlife Trusts and later, President Emeritus, David has played a major role in leading campaigns and helping The Wildlife Trusts to mark a huge number of significant moments. From his opening of London Wildlife Trust’s Woodberry Wetlands to Essex Wildlife Trust’s Thameside Nature Discovery Park, thousands of people have flocked to celebrate nature’s recovery with Sir David along the way. See a timeline of Sir David’s support in the Editor’s Notes further below.