You’ll never look at a green and pleasant pasture in the same way again after reading about the rewilding project at the Knepp estate in West Sussex. The land belongs to Sir Charles Burrell, 10th baronet (who prefers to go by plain old Charlie), and his conservationist wife, Isabella Tree. Their journey began in the early 2000s, fueled by financial challenges and a vision to restore their estate to nature.
The Beginnings of Rewilding at Knepp
In just two decades, this 3,500-acre estate near Horsham has undergone a radical transformation, becoming one of the UK’s most important wildlife sites. Initially, intense farming plagued the estate, but with ambition and a touch of daring, Burrell and Tree decided to let nature retake its course.
A Home for Diverse Wildlife
Today, Knepp’s unruly landscape is far from traditional. It is messy, wild, chaotic, but also teeming with life. Rare white storks, the first born in the UK in 600 years, are now raising their chicks alongside peregrine falcons and purple emperor butterflies. As Isabella Tree poignantly notes, Knepp is not pretty landscape painting or bells and beads. It is messy, wild, chaotic, bloody, fecund and above all creative.
Reactions to Rewilding
The rewilding concept has drawn mixed reactions over time. Neighboring farmers initially reacted with outrage, accusing Burrell of irresponsibility. However, as species started thriving – from turtle doves to nightingales – positive reactions began emerging. Today, neighboring landowners are encouraged to join the Knepp rewilding network.
The Power of Free-Roaming Grazers
One of the innovative aspects of Knepp’s rewilding effort is the introduction of free-roaming grazing animals like Exmoor ponies, pigs, deer, and cattle. These animals act as proxies for ancient herbivores, creating a rich mosaic of habitats ranging from scrubland to wood pastures.
Ecological Impact and Global Lessons
The ambition doesn’t stop within their walls; Burrell and Tree ardently campaign against anti-conservation projects nearby. As Isabella stated concerning the housing proposals near Knepp: The Government’s ‘25 Year Plan for the Environment’ is meaningless if they allow Horsham District Council to allocate housing on the wildlife corridor at Buck Barn…
A Journey Worth Chronicling
The couple’s story is well-documented in Isabella Tree’s book “Wilding,” which chronicles their unconventional journey. For those interested in learning deeply about rewilding concepts compared with ‘traditional’ nature reserves, her works offer profound insights into present-day ecological transformations.
From marginal farmland weighed down by debt to one of Britain’s most influential conservation projects – Knepp offers hope for sustainable futures elsewhere that seek biodiversity richness over barren monocultures.
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