The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) works for the essentials of life, food, air, land, water, people, animals and plants. This government department's remit is to bring all aspects of the environment, rural matters, farming and food production together and act as a focal point for rural policy.

For general information, documents and publications on countryside and wildlife conservation visit www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/index.htm or telephone Defra Helpline 08459 33 55 77

CPRE is an organisation that campaigns to protect and enhance the countryside for the benefit of everyone. As well as highlighting problems and threats to the countryside,it carries out research, canvasses opinion and advocates solutions. CPRE seeks to influence policy makers and opinion formers at every level and often works in partnership with other local and national bodies. A number of publications are available to order or you can join in one of its campaigns.

For more information visit www.cpre.org.uk or telephone 020 7981 2800

English Nature champions the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places in England. It is a Government agency funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). It works with a wide range of partners and give advice and grants to organisations involved with nature reserves or sites of special scientific interest.It produces a wide range of publications, many academic or scientific, and can provide assistance with research.

For more information visit www.english-nature.org.uk or telephone 01733 455101

The RSPB is a wildlife conservation charity with more than a million members, 9,000 volunteers and 170 nature reserves. It works to preserve the environment for birds and wildlife, believing that the health of bird populations is indicative of the health of the planet, on which the future of the human race depends.

Members of the public can volunteer to help in conservation or other projects for more information

telephone 01767 680551. For general information visit www.rspb.org.uk

Learning through Landscapes (LTL) campaign for children's right to decent school grounds and help make school grounds better places. LTL believe that many people do not understand the importance of school grounds to children's learning and development. But they are essential, providing unique opportunities for healthy exercise, creative play, and making friends; for learning through doing; for putting children in touch with the natural world.

The LTL website deals with all issues relating to school grounds, and is useful for teachers, governors and local authorities. For more information visit www.ltl.org.uk or phone 01962 846258