Saving Britain's wildlife

Britain's wildlife has been under pressure for centuries. Many of the large mammals that once inhabited these islands were driven to extinction long ago. In the twenty-first century, insect populations have collapsed by around three quarters. Is there any way back?

Join us to hear stories from the frontline of the fight to restore wild Britain. We'll discuss the ethics of conservation in the real world. When should we intervene and when should we leave "wild nature" alone? When conflicts between economic and environmental interests emerge, how should they be handled? How can scientists involve local communities in conservation to avoid tensions and build coalitions? Does a focus on large animals lead to undervaluing tiny animals, like insects, or can we help both at once? And since wild nature involves a lot of suffering, do we have to choose between prioritizing animal welfare and prioritizing biodiversity? These questions will be brought to life with vivid examples.

Meet our speakers and chair

Karen Kovaka (@KKovaka) is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, San Diego and a visitor at LSE's Global School of Sustainability in 2025-26.

Luke Hecht is a researcher at the Wild Animal Initiative, a charity that aims to make sure the welfare of wild animals is promoted in conservation efforts.

Matt Phelps is Lead Ecologist at the Knepp Estate, a high-profile, 3500-acre rewilding project in West Sussex.

Jonathan Birch (@birchlse) is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience at LSE. In 2021, he led a "Review of the Evidence of Sentience in Cephalopod Molluscs and Decapod Crustaceans" that led to invertebrate animals including octopuses, crabs and lobsters being included in the UK government's Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022. In 2024, he published The Edge of Sentience: Risk and Precaution in Humans, Other Animals, and AI, an open access book.

More about this event

The Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science (CPNSS) promotes research into philosophical, methodological and foundational questions arising in the natural and the social sciences.

Launched in 2025, the Global School of Sustainability at LSE (GSoS) is advancing global efforts to shape a brighter future for all that is sustainable, resilient, hopeful, prosperous and inclusive.

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