ARC 2031

The ARC 2031: Final Call For Endangered Native Wildlife

The ARC 2031 research reveals extinction catastrophe waiting to happen on our shores. A shocking 40% of our 1 million insect species are teetering on the brink, and human activities are to blame. From bats to hedgehogs, butterflies to bumblebees, iconic species of British wildlife could face extinction within a decade if action is not taken to halt their decline.

ARC 2031 exhibition studio

Join us in London
23rd-25th September
Ham Yard Village (Piccadilly, W1D 7DT)
Free admission
Discover more about the 10 native species most at risk of vanishing in the next 10 years
how can we help saving them

ARC 2031 EXHIBITION STUDIO

In September 2021, we hosted the ARC 2031 exhibition studio, an arresting natural history exhibition bringing together for the first time 10 iconic species of British wildlife most at risk of vanishing from our shores within a decade, for the most part, due to the industrialisation of food production and the excessive use of harmful pesticides.

From bats to hedgehogs, butterflies to bumblebees, visitors came face to face with, and read the stories of, the species identified by research with The Horniman Museum – all of which could be pulled back from the brink if we make some small, and easy, changes.

Simplest of all? Swapping a few products in our regular shop to organic, supporting those businesses, farmers and producers working with nature to protect our wildlife and biodiversity and care for our planet.

Visitors had the opportunity to learn more about our ARC 2031 species and see the difference organic farming can make. What is more, the first 30 visitors each day were gifted a goodie bag full of organic goodies (worth over £100) to inspire their own organic journey of discovery...and many wrote us they were shocked at how easy is to swap everyday items!

This exhibition was brought to you by the Organic Trade Board / Go Organic UK and their 150+ members with special thanks to:

THE ARCH 2031 STUDY

The ARC 2031 study unveils 10 precious native species most at risk of vanishing from our shores, for the most part, due to the industrialisation of food production and, with that, the excessive use of harmful pesticides.

Developed by the OTB / Go Organic in partnership with Principal Curator of Natural Sciences, Jo Hatton, from the renowned Horniman Museum, and with the collaboration of PAN UK (Pesticide Action Network UK), Vicky Hird from Sustain and the Organic Research Centre, the ARC 2031 research has been released to mark the first day of Organic September, a month-long celebration shining a spotlight on the significant benefits organic food and farming practices offer to increasing and protecting biodiversity.

The shocking ARC 2031 list is further evidence that, despite more people than ever showing interest in nature and the environment, we can all still do much more to protect wildlife – even on our own doorstep.

The list offers a stark reminder of what we stand to lose and includes some of the nation’s most beloved creatures – all of which could be pulled back from the brink if we make some small, and easy, changes. Simplest of all? Swapping a few products in our regular shop to organic means supporting those businesses, farmers and producers working with nature to protect our wildlife and biodiversity and care for our planet.

Organic means working with nature, not against it. Organic is designed to respect nature and takes a balanced approach, using natural methods to create and maintain healthy soils, take care of animals and support more wildlife, rather than the overuse of less natural interventions like pesticides which have contributed to the steep decline of our ARC 2031 species, edging them towards extinction.

As a result, organic farms are, on average, home to up to 50% more wildlife, and 30% more species. Choosing organic to protect our wildlife really is a no-brainer!

Here is the The ARC 2031 list of the 10 native species most at risk of extinction over the next 10 years:

	Species Name	UK Conservation Status	Benefits to our Ecosystem
1	Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)	UK Red list - Declined by 92% between 1970 and 2005	Grey Partridges help control insects and other invertebrate (animals with no backbone) crop pests. Nature’s pesticides!
2	Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)	UK Red list - Declined 89% between 1970 and 2003.	Corn Bunting are good pest controllers, managing their populations as they feed their young
3	Grey Long-eared Bat (Plecotus austriacus)	UK Red list - Endangered	Bats help control pests by eating insects, protecting crops from bugs.
4	Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus)	UK Red list - Vulnerable	Hedgehogs control pests such as slugs and snails and are an important indicator species (they reflect the quality and changes in the environment) – meaning that their population declines can be used by scientists to identify drops in the quality of our environment.
5	Essex Skipper (Thymelicus lineola)	2010 Butterfly Red list under increased threat	Adult butterflies (and moths) are important pollinators, and their caterpillars are vital sources of food for farmland birds.
6	Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris)	2010 Butterfly Red list under increased threat	Adult butterflies (and moths) are important pollinators, and their caterpillars are vital sources of food for farmland birds.
7	Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)	Under increased threat	Wild bees are vital pollinators and are essential cornerstones of all agriculture. It would cost UK farmers £1.8 billion to pollinate their crops without bees.
8	Hoverfly (Cheilosia cynocephala)	UK Red list - Nationally scarce	Hoverflies act as both pollinators and pest controllers. The adult hoverfly feeds on nectar and pollen, and their larvae prey on insect pests including aphids.
9	Necklace Ground beetle (Carabus monilis)	UK Red list - Endangered	Ground beetles are important biological control agents and predate many invertebrates that feed on farm crops as well as consuming the seeds of many annual plants we consider to be weeds.
10	Hop flea beetle (Psylliodes attenuata)	UK Red list - Endangered	Leaf beetles are another essential pollinator; another species offering essential ‘free labour’ to the nation’s farmers.

If we don’t protect biodiversity, it could have profound consequences. The ARC 2031 list reveals 10 species in the UK, under increasing threat, where pesticide use has been implicated in their decline. Birds such as the Grey Partridge and butterflies such as the Essex Skipper are vital links in our complex ecosystem food webs and help preserve biodiversity – from natural pest controllers to crucial pollinators, the importance of preserving each species cannot be overestimated. It is vital that we protect them.”

Jo Hatton

Research Lead