We live in an era thought by many to represent the sixth mass extinction
event, but the first driven by human activity alone: the ‘anthropocene’ (Johnson et al.
2017). There is growing recognition that the fate of nature and humankind are closely
interlinked, and that nature underpins our economies, our health and social wellbeing.
Against the backcloth of biodiversity in crisis, the RSPB Centre for Conservation
Science was established in 2014. Its aim is to identify, provide and interpret the
scientific evidence needed to help the RSPB and others to make informed decisions
on biodiversity conservation and the environment. This paper, presented originally as
the Bernard Tucker Memorial Lecture in 2018, highlights the work of the Centre and
introduces its adopted model of conservation. The paper is illustrated with examples
of conservation action and science from the UK and overseas