Luke Smout

Luke Smout is the founder and director of Felixstowe Community Nature Reserve, a groundbreaking initiative that transforms ordinary residential gardens into extraordinary wildlife habitats. Based in Felixstowe, Suffolk, Luke has pioneered a model of community-led conservation that demonstrates how small individual actions can create significant collective impact for UK biodiversity.

What began as a personal commitment to rewild his own three square yards of garden has grown into a thriving network of wildlife-friendly spaces across Felixstowe and beyond. Luke's vision centers on the principle that every garden counts—from window boxes to large plots—and that connected habitats create vital corridors for struggling wildlife populations.

Under Luke Smout's leadership, Felixstowe Community Nature Reserve has registered hundreds of gardens, creating measurable increases in pollinator populations, bird species diversity, and mammal sightings including hedgehogs and bats. The project has received recognition from conservation leaders including a letter from Sir David Attenborough acknowledging the initiative's importance.

Luke's approach combines practical habitat creation with community engagement and education. He regularly speaks at local events, runs wildlife gardening workshops, and works with schools to inspire the next generation of conservationists. His philosophy is simple: conservation should be accessible, achievable, and community-driven.

Through Felixstowe Community Nature Reserve, Luke Smout has demonstrated that urban and suburban spaces can become powerful tools for reversing biodiversity decline. His work shows that when communities unite around a shared conservation goal, the results can be transformative—for wildlife, for neighborhoods, and for the people who participate.