The decline in wildlife habitats in the Isle of Man is to be highlighted in an exhibition.

The Manx Wildlife Trust display will include evidence from older people about the number of birds, insects and animals they used to see compared with now.

A 20-minute film entitled Wildlife Remembered will be shown. It hears from Manx people about the way they remember wildlife in their childhood and how it has changed.

The exhibition begins this weekend at the Old Courthouse in Ramsey as part of a British-Isles wide campaign to promote a ’wilder future’ and ’nature’s recovery’.

In addition to the films, some family activities at the Ramsey exhibition include a Trophic Tumble Tower, where each block represents a species or habitat.

Once too many have been removed the ecosystem will collapse.

In addition, Wildlife Silhouettes is an art installation to which children can add their own artwork.

As part of the exhibition, a trailer for a new Wind in the Willows film, which chronicles declines in wildlife, will be shown.

Sir David Attenborough, Stephen Fry, Catherine Tate, Alison Steadman and Asim Chaudhry have backed the British Isles-wide campaign from The Wildlife Trusts.

The conservationist and actors have starring roles in the trailer.

It brings to life the 21st century threats facing the much-loved characters from Kenneth Grahame’s children’s classic.

The animated trailer calls on everyone to help bring our wildlife back before it’s too late.

It shows how the lives of Badger, Ratty, Mole and Toad are disrupted by roads, river pollution and intensive agriculture - many habitats have been destroyed and others have been broken up. Toad hangs a picture of a puffin entangled in plastic on the wall in Toad Hall.

’Farewell old friend,’ he says.

President Emeritus of the Wildlife Trusts, Sir David Attenborough, said: ’It is desperately sad that so much of our country’s wildlife has been lost since Kenneth Grahame wrote his wonderful book The Wind in the Willows.

’We have damaged our rivers, built too many roads and lost too many ponds and meadows. All of this has happened because our systems and laws that should be keeping nature healthy are failing, and we are losing touch with wildlife. Everything is becoming disconnected.

’I am backing The Wildlife Trusts’ campaign to rally people to secure a "wilder future" by restoring large areas of wildlife habitat, in city and country.

’Meanwhile we can all make a practical difference. If you have a window sill or balcony you can put up bird feeders or plant pots of wildflowers. If you have a garden it is easy to dig a small pond or make holes in your fence for hedgehogs to wander through. It is not too difficult to take up paving slabs to let plants grow to feed our bees.

’Together we can make the next chapter for wildlife a happier one.’

The Manx Wildlife Trust says the dubs (ponds) and the Ballaugh Curraghs wetlands have reduced by a third since the 1990s.

Just 4.5% of the Isle of Man’s land area is protected through ASSIs (area of special scientific interest) and our nature reserves.

The trust estimates that the value of wildlife to the Isle of Man is £42m a year.

Lloyds Bank has helped to pay for some of the displays and provide volunteers for the Ramsey exhibition.

Lieutenant Governor Sir Richard Gozney will open it on Saturday at 10am. It will run from 10am to 4pm daily until April 6.

The exhibition will be staged at other locations later, including the airport atrium from August 17 to 25.