Jonnie Wild’s interest in conservation was first stimulated by his own children's distress at learning about destruction of the rainforests. He set up the Yorkshire Rainforest project, which planted new forest trees in an Amazon area as big as Yorkshire, and now has similar projects all over the world.

He pioneered many environmental projects in the tropics whilst leading his family business - the famous Betty's Tea Rooms and Yorkshire Tea and he now works with environmental scientists at the University of Leeds, supporting collaborative research and action in conserving forest habitats for the benefit of both animals and humans.