The problems that nature conservation in the UK faces are analysed and the new ideas and new energy that conservation needs for the future are sought. Concepts such as biodiversity and sustainability, and changes in the public's understanding, appreciation and concern for nature are assessed. The links between nature and culture and those between economies and the countryside are explored and the scientific, cultural and economic significance of conservation is reviewed. It is argued that conservation must move beyond the boundaries of parks and reserves to embrace the whole countryside, and that it must be built into ordinary life, not isolated as a specialized product kept only in reserved places. Conservation action must be founded on the relationship between people's daily lives and the natural world: its success demands a creative approach, and a recognition of the vital wilderness of nature.