Born Free at Birdfair
With fascinating talks and wild activities, the world’s biggest annual celebration of wildlife has taken place near Rutland Water, UK, and our team was actively involved.
L-R – Ian Redmond OBE, Mary Colwell, Abby Seneor, Dominic Dyer, Dr Mark Jones
Global Birdfair is the largest wildlife and conservation festival in Europe. This year’s event attracted up to 20,000 visitors, with a passion for nature, over the course of three days in Oakham, East Midlands.
The festival has raised millions for bird conservation since it started over 35 years ago. This year’s proceeds will go towards safeguarding ocean bird species in the South Pacific.
Born Free’s Policy team was delighted to be highly involved in this year’s prestigious event. First off, our British Wildlife Advocate Dominic Dyer organised and chaired two panel debates on the opening day, Friday 11 July. Held in the main Osprey Marquee, these were attended by hundreds of people.
The lunchtime keynote event focused on recent geopolitical developments in America and around the world, and their impact on global efforts to tackle climate change, and protect nature and biodiversity. Speakers included Born Free’s Head of Policy Dr Mark Jones, who outlined the dismantling of USAID – the US foreign aid agency – and its impact on the global conservation movement, as well as the withdrawal of American government influence over and support for key global institutions, aimed at protecting the natural world.
Abby Seneor, a leading figure in the tech and artificial intelligence sector, spoke of the need for the tech sector and conservation movement to come together, to use the power of artificial intelligence to protect the future of both people and nature. Prior to her talk, a short video entitled ‘2100 – The Future We Choose Today’ was screened, highlighting the importance of choices we make today on the future use of technology.
Environmentalist, author and producer Mary Colwell, who has played a leading role in obtaining a commitment from the government to introduce a Natural History GCSE, also spoke of the importance of influencing the next generation to stand up for nature and wildlife, at home and abroad, through the education system.
Leading naturalist and conservationist Ian Redmond OBE, Born Free’s Policy Advisor, then closed the panel. He reminded the audience of the huge importance of wildlife and nature in terms carbon sequestration to tackle climate change, and why natural capital is as important as financial capital to the future of humankind and the planet.
In the evening, Dominic Dyer chaired a second panel debate focusing on wildlife crime in Britain. Dr Mark Jones opened the debate by painting a picture of the extent of wildlife crime in Britain, and the need to review existing legislation to increase prosecutions, and impose higher fines and custodial sentences on wildlife criminals
Craig Fellowes from the Badger Trust emphasised the need to make wildlife crime a recordable offence and to improve the level of training on wildlife crime for police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service.
Jim Clark from the NatureWatch Foundation highlighted the connection between human and wildlife crime and the impact of criminal and anti-social activity relating to wildlife on rural communities across Britain.
Dominic Dyer closed the panel by informing the audience that this would be a key focus for an event to be hosted by Born Free and other leading wildlife protection organisations at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool in September. We will keep you updated!
Global Birdfair 2025