Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

What Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust does

Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1112023 in England and Wales, SC038868 in Scotland), founded in 1930 and headquartered in Fordingbridge, with regional operations in Dorset (Salmon and Trout Research Centre), Leicestershire (the Allerton Project demonstration farm at Loddington), and Scotland (Auchnerran Scottish Demonstration Farm). The organization conducts long-term conservation science on game and wildlife management, producing peer-reviewed research, citizen science surveys (notably the Breeding Woodcock Survey in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology and the Big Farmland Bird Count), and demonstration projects that translate research into practical land management practice. Its core outputs include advisory services (face-to-face farm and shoot consultations, courses and training days), digital tools (GWCT Shoot Biodiversity Tool, Shoot Operator's Test, Accredited Game Shot certification), research publications, and policy briefings.

GWCT serves a horizontal set of customer segments: farmers and landowners, professional gamekeepers and shoot managers, shooting participants, wild fisheries managers, and conservation/policy bodies. Its revenue model is diversified across premium membership subscriptions (with insurance benefits), general donations and themed appeals (Black Grouse, Grey Partridge, Woodcock, Solitary Bee, Gamebird Releasing, Trail Camera, Curlew, Save Our Salmon), shop sales, course/training fees, charitable trust grants, corporate sponsorship, and a recently launched Natural Capital Advisory commercial consulting service. Marketing and distribution is community-led: a 100,000+ subscriber newsletter, multiple specialized blogs, organic social (Twitter/X, Facebook), demonstration events such as the Scottish Game Fair, university lecturing, and a free Accredited Game Shot certification that has been taken by nearly 10,000 people.

Name

Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Legal name

Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Website

https://gwct.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

GWCT is a UK conservation charity (founded 1930) that conducts 90+ years of game and wildlife research, running citizen science surveys and demonstration farms to deliver advisory services, training, and certification for farmers, gamekeepers, shoot managers, and conservation policymakers across Britain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation & Human–Wildlife Conflict Mitigation (BPAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Farmland biodiversity advisory
• Game management research
• Citizen science surveys
• Conservation training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Fordingbridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: Premium membership includes insurance and exclusive benefits. The organization has over 100,000 newsletter subscribers suggesting a large membership base.
2. Donations and appeals: General donations, current appeals (Black Grouse Appeal, Grey Partridge Appeal, Gamebird Releasing Appeal, Solitary Bee Appeal), raffles, sweepstakes, and legacies.
3. Shop sales: Online shop selling books, clothing, Christmas cards and merchandise with proceeds supporting the Trust's work.
4. Courses and training: Fees from attending courses and training days covering game management, biodiversity, fisheries, and conservation topics.
5. Charitable trusts and foundations: Funding from charitable trusts and foundations as well as corporate sponsorship programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust conducts conservation science research and delivers advisory services, training courses, citizen science programs, and biodiversity assessment tools to farmers, gamekeepers, shoot managers, and landowners across the UK. It funds this work through premium memberships, donations, charitable trust grants, course fees, and merchandise sales, and demonstrates best practice via research farms such as The Allerton Project and Auchnerran.

Product overview

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust operates as a single unified conservation organization offering a portfolio of advisory services, citizen science programs, and training courses. Core offerings include face-to-face advisory consultations and training courses on game and wildlife management, biodiversity assessment tools (GWCT Shoot Biodiversity Tool), and certification programs (GWCT Accredited Game Shot). The Trust also runs large-scale citizen science initiatives such as the Big Farmland Bird Count and Breeding Woodcock Survey. Its Natural Capital Advisory service provides commercial consulting, while The Allerton Project serves as a demonstration farm showcasing integrated conservation farming practices. The organization offers premium membership with insurance benefits and operates an online shop selling books, clothing, and merchandise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GWCT Advisory Services Expert face-to-face advisory consultations and training courses on game and wildlife management, biodiversity improvement, and conservation practices for farmers, gamekeepers, and landowners.
• Big Farmland Bird Count Annual citizen science initiative inviting farmers and landowners to record bird species on their land, contributing to national biodiversity monitoring.
• Natural Capital Advisory Consulting service combining GWCT's scientific expertise with commercial experience to help farmers and landowners develop natural capital projects contributing to nature recovery.
• GWCT Shoot Biodiversity Tool Online assessment tool enabling shoots to evaluate and improve biodiversity performance on their land.
• GWCT Accredited Game Shot Test Free online test and certification for individuals demonstrating understanding of responsible shooting practices and conservation principles.
• The Allerton Project Research and demonstration farm at Loddington Estate showcasing how game and wildlife conservation can be integrated with productive farming.
• Membership Program Premium membership including insurance and exclusive benefits for supporters of game and wildlife conservation, with over 100,000 subscribers.
• Breeding Woodcock Survey National citizen science survey conducted with BTO to monitor breeding woodcock populations and distribution across Britain.
• Fisheries Training Courses One-day and residential courses on fishery management including wild trout management, juvenile trout and salmon management, fishery stocking, gravel cleaning, and predator control.
• Biodiversity Training Courses Customized courses on topics including water vole re-introduction, farmland bird identification, arable flora restoration, and black grouse conservation based on decades of scientific research.

Quantifiable outcome

• 29% decline in breeding woodcock population identified between 2003 and 2013 surveys, enabling targeted conservation action.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PepsiCo FABminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026PepsiCo's Farmer Authentication Programme expanding its nature friendly farming project to bring on board dozens more farms across the country, working with GWCT's research and advisory expertise.
• British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003GWCT partnered with the BTO to conduct the first national survey of breeding woodcock in 2003 using species-specific counting methods. The partnership was continued in 2013 for the repeat survey. This collaboration provides the most accurate population estimates for UK breeding woodcock.
• Missing Salmon AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGWCT participates in the Missing Salmon Alliance, a collaboration focused on salmon conservation efforts in UK rivers.
• SAMARCH ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research project on salmon and trout conservation in partnership with other organizations working on fisheries research.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds): Largest UK bird and wildlife conservation charity with over a million members. Directly comparable as a UK-based conservation NGO combining research, advocacy, membership subscriptions, citizen science, reserves and advisory services targeting overlapping audiences.
• The Wildlife Trusts: Umbrella of 46 local Wildlife Trusts managing nature reserves across the UK. Comparable as a UK conservation charity operating reserves, running volunteer programmes, delivering training and influencing conservation policy with a similar member-supported model.
• Butterfly Conservation: UK charity focused on Lepidoptera and habitat conservation, running citizen science surveys, research programmes and reserves. Comparable as a specialist UK conservation charity combining research, volunteer surveys, membership and advisory services.
• Bat Conservation Trust: UK charity dedicated to bat conservation, combining research, training, volunteer networks and policy advocacy. Directly comparable as a specialist species-focused UK conservation charity with overlapping operating model and audience.
• Woodland Trust: UK charity focused on woodland conservation, owning and managing thousands of hectares of land. Comparable for its mix of land management, research, membership subscriptions, donations and policy advocacy on UK habitat conservation.
• Buglife: UK invertebrate conservation charity working on habitat protection and species recovery. Comparable as a small-to-mid UK conservation NGO that combines science, policy advocacy, membership and partnership-driven conservation projects.
• British Trust for Ornithology (BTO): UK charity focused on bird research and monitoring, and GWCT's named partner on the Breeding Woodcock Survey. Closely comparable for its citizen science surveys, long-term datasets, scientific publications and volunteer-driven research model.
• Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT): UK wetland conservation charity operating visitor reserves, running species recovery programmes and conducting applied conservation science. Comparable in combining research, reserves, education and a membership/visitor funding model.

Emerging players

• Soil Association: UK charity focused on organic farming, food and land management. Partial overlap with GWCT in advising farmers on sustainable land management, biodiversity-friendly farming and agri-environment schemes, but with a food and certification rather than game-management focus.

Broad incumbents

• National Trust: Much larger UK conservation charity with millions of members, managing historic estates, gardens, coastline and countryside. Overlaps with GWCT in farmland and countryside stewardship, conservation advisory, and membership-driven funding, but operates at far greater scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Gameandwildlife
• Facebookfacebook.com/gamewildlifeconservationtrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust