Durham Wildlife Trust is an independent charity and limited company that was established in 1971, originally as the Durham County Conservation Trust, becoming Durham Wildlife Trust in 1988.
Durham Wildlife Trust is part of the federation of 46 organisations that together form the Wildlife Trusts. Each organisation is an independent charity but with shared aims and badger logo branding. The Trusts are membership organisations.
When DWT was established the county of Durham extended from the rivers Tees to Tyne across an area administered by Durham County Council. Subsequent local government reorganisation reduced the area of County Durham and created Tyne and Wear and Cleveland. As a result, DWT today covers County Durham, the southern boroughs of Tyne and Wear – Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland – and Darlington. In 2015, to clarify the geographical area of operations of the Trust, the phrase From Tees to Tyne was added to the DWT logo.
As a small, local charity we rely on the support of our members. Membership enables us to manage our nature reserves, run conservation projects, deliver environmental education activities and provide thousands of volunteering opportunities each year.
Across County Durham, Darlington, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland no one is working harder to protect our wildlife for future generations.