A Big Start to 2026: Events, Projects & Ways to Get Involved

Happy new year to all our members and contacts and welcome to our first newsletter of 2026. Hopefully you will all have seen our 2025 Annual Review, but if it hasn’t reached your post box or inbox yet, you can find it by clicking the button below.

It’s not until you read through this publication that it becomes apparent just how much our small charity has achieved in the past 12 months. This has only been possible through the hard work of our dedicated team, the support of our Board, loyal members and benefactors. Our year ended on a high with a reception at Westminster to share the findings of our Heather Futures research and book launches in both London and Edinburgh – a great way to sign off 2025.

We have a number of really interesting projects in the pipeline this year that will directly address some of the most pressing issues facing our uplands. As always, these can only come to fruition if we have adequate funding and so 2026 will very much focus on raising the funds required to continue championing our amazing uplands.

Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated.

Read the 2025 Annual Review below:

Help us make the 2026 Spring Auction our biggest yet

We are very pleased to confirm that The Heather Trust’s 2026 Spring Auction will take place online from Friday 24th April to Sunday 17th May 2026. Following the fantastic support we received last year, we’re aiming to make this event even bigger and better — and we need your help to make it happen!

Your ongoing commitment makes a vital difference, helping us raise the funds needed to continue promoting and advocating for resilient, sustainable upland management across the UK, for the benefit of nature, climate, and rural communities. We are now seeking donations for auction Lots, monetary contributions, and offers of support to help make the 2026 Spring Auction a success. Whether you can contribute a prize, make a financial donation, or simply help spread the word, every act of support strengthens our work and ensures we can continue to represent those who care for and manage our uplands.

To get involved or discuss how you can help, please contact us using the button below — we’d be delighted to hear from you. Together, we can make this year’s auction the best yet and continue making a real difference for our uplands.

Wildfire2026 returns this November

We are delighted to announce that a limited number of ‘early bird’ tickets are now available for the UK Wildfire Conference 2026.

For more than 20 years, the biennial UK Wildfire Conference has provided a vital forum for the wildfire community to come together, reflect on lessons from recent seasons, share the latest research and operational insights, and strengthen collaborative approaches for the future. We are pleased to announce that the next conference will take place at Headingley Stadium, Leeds, on 10–11 November 2026, returning to northern England for the first time since 2011.

Organised by The Heather Trust on behalf of the England and Wales Wildfire Forum, the 2026 conference will be themed New Perspectives, Shared Solutions. With unprecedented burned areas across the UK in 2025, wildfire has once again affected communities, landscapes and responders nationwide and highlighted the growing complexity and scale of wildfire risk. This year’s event will deliver a programme that explores emerging wildfire challenges alongside the importance of partnership, knowledge exchange and inclusive thinking.

Whether you are a long-standing attendee or new to the conference, this event offers a valuable opportunity to build connections and shape the future of wildfire management in the UK. Early bird tickets are limited, so secure your place now and visit the conference website for regular updates.

A gift that supports our moorlands

A reminder that two special items are now available to buy from the Heather Trust shop — perfect gifts (or treats) that support the protection of our heather moorlands and rural landscapes.

Heather Munro’s Race Against the Flames, the fourth children’s book by Heather Trust Director Katrina Candy, follows Heather Munro, her husband Stag, and their dog Biscuits as they confront a fast-moving wildfire in Glen Stoushie. Beautifully illustrated by Lynsay Hay, the book blends adventure with lessons on wildfire prevention, stewardship, and community action. Priced at £10, all profits support the work of the Heather Trust and the Scottish Gamekeepers Association.

We’re also offering special edition 120g jars of finest heather honey in collaboration with the Northumberland Honey Co. Priced at £6, net proceeds go directly to the Trust to fund vital moorland conservation work.

Both items are available now at our website — thoughtful gifts that make a real difference.

Help needed on wader consultation

Research has shown that nesting dates for wading birds often vary according to latitude, with birds in the south nesting much earlier in the year than those in the north. Working for Waders is looking for farmers and land managers in Scotland who are involved in agri-environment options for waders to help with a consultation which may allow future schemes to accommodate regional variations, particularly in more northerly areas. If you can help, please contact Working for Waders via Patrick Laurie using the button below: