The extensive forests and woodlands that predominated in the British Isles in pre-Neolithic times have been largely replaced by managed landscapes dominated by agriculture, together with some woodland and remnant areas of other semi-natural habitats such as bogs, heathlands, fens and marshes. Agricultural management intensified significantly since 1945, reducing the value of farmland to wildlife. In response, considerable public funds are currently being spent to encourage farmers to implement agri-environmental management, which is designed to reduce the impact of intensive farming on wildlife. There is a current debate about whether such schemes will work, and uncertainty about how agricultural land use might change in the future. Although much of the British Isles was formerly wooded, by 1900 only 5% of the land surface was woodland. Over the last 50 years, there has been a significant expansion in woodland area, but young- and old-growth habitats remain uncommon. Supporting woodland wildlife into the future will require new approaches that promote the development of diverse woodland habitats. Semi-natural habitats and their wildlife have become increasingly fragmented and isolated within landscapes dominated by agriculture, forestry and urban development. Their future depends on the success of current attempts to restore key habitats. Landscapes in the British Isles are becoming increasingly recognised for the multiple functions they perform, in addition to producing food and timber, which could have important implications for the way we view nature conservation in the future.