Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is proud to announce that its Chief Executive, Debbie Tann MBE, has today (Monday 19 May) been named one of the UK’s Top 100 Environmental Professionals in the ENDS Report Power List 2025 – a prestigious national roll call of the most influential voices in the environment sector.
The ENDS Report, a leading publication covering environmental policy, business and sustainability, compiles the Power List annually to celebrate those who have made the greatest impact over the past two years. The list celebrates campaigners shaping legislation and policy, as well as the unsung heroes delivering positive change though transformative, on-the-ground projects.
Debbie’s inclusion in this year’s list, in the Campaigner category, recognises her groundbreaking role in leading Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust’s innovative nutrient neutrality work –restoring degraded land into thriving habitats that reduce pollution at its source, protect fragile ecosystems and set a new standard for sustainable development.
Debbie is also celebrated for her strategic leadership in driving forward the Trust’s ambitious Wilder 2030 Strategy, helping to shape a bold, long-term vision to restore nature in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
“At a time when nature is too often seen as an obstacle to progress” Debbie said “this recognition is a powerful reminder: real progress works with nature, not against it.
“We are facing unprecedented pressures, it’s more important than ever that we step up. Protecting, rewilding and restoring our natural landscapes is vital for wildlife, and essential for our own future - including our economy, our resilience and our wellbeing.
“This recognition is not just a personal honour, it’s a celebration of everyone, volunteers, staff, partners and local communities, who are committed to giving nature a louder voice. It’s also a reminder of the urgency. The climate and nature crisis is real, and the time to act is now.”
Under Debbie’s leadership, the Trust has become a leader in tackling nutrient pollution - one of the most significant threats to the health of the UK’s freshwater and marine ecosystems.
Through its pioneering Nutrient Neutrality scheme, the Trust is restoring degraded farmland back to nature – which absorbs excess nutrients, reduces pollution flowing into fragile waterways like the Solent, and creates vital homes for wildlife.
At sites like Wilder Little Duxmore on the Isle of Wight, once overgrazed land is now a thriving haven for pollinators, birds and other wildlife. A living example of how farming and nature can co coexist.
This project is not just local success story – it is a national blueprint for how to balance development with ecological responsibility.
For further information on the Trust’s Nutrient Neutrality scheme and Nature-based Solutions work visit here.
ENDS Report has previously described Power List honourees as “the changemakers, the problem-solvers, and the quiet revolutionaries who are reshaping the environmental landscape.”
