How was it for you?

It's snowing. It's cold. I've got flu and someone's dismantled my bike trying to nick the rear gears.

But I'm happy.

I can see a proud crow through the window, stark black against the bleak cold whiteness of the day. There are several tits flitting across the open spaces between the shrubs. All this is idyllic, but it's not the source of my happiness.

What's giving me a warm glow is reflecting on the past twelve months:

•  We've had the first year of our London House Sparrow Parks Project. It will help find out if a lack of insects is behind their shrinking population
• We've laid the foundations for a new project in east London's Lee Valley
• We've had record recruitment levels
• Made firm progress in our bid to save some Sumatran rainforest...and..
• Staged the biggest ever UK march against government complacency when it comes to tackling climate change.

I say complacency. It's more short-sightedness. The problem calls for some pretty bruising long-term solutions and politicians worldwide have only got their eyes focused on the next election. If you agree that short-term interests should be forgotten to help address this vital issue, please sign our Letter to the Future.

We're also getting ready to launch a new and visionary blueprint that will help business and industry along the Thames corridor make the most of opportunities open to them, in harmony with wildlife and natural landscapes. It's taking time, but learning lessons from history and using the latest climate predictions, we can work with nature to help wildlife and people survive what is going to be a difficult time ahead.

There have been some down-sides to the year too. Sparrow and starling numbers continue to fall. Fewer swifts were recorded this year than last. The illegal killing of birds of prey such as hobbies and peregrines continues. And we recently discovered that Asia's vultures are sensitive to a second drug commonly used across the world that is sending them to oblivion faster than the dodo vanished.

There's lots to smile about, so here's an end of year toast. If 2009 was the year of recognition of common problems, let 2010 be the year of solutions.

Cheers.