Knepp: The Home of Rewilding
Rewilding is quickly becoming a highly popular & successful way in which to strengthen biodiversity. It has become a buzz word amongst environmentalists, and this is due in no small part to the amazing experiment that Sir Charles Burrell and his wife Isabella, initiated on their 3,200 acre Sussex estate.
Owned by the Burrell family for over 200 years, Charles took over the estate farming it intensively as was the usual practice until 2000. The clay heavy, poor quality land turned out very little profit, and despite harnessing the power of the latest technology the Burrells struggled to make a success of Knepp. Inspired by the work of Dutch ecologist Dr. Frans Vera, who worked on the Oostvaardersplassen project in the Netherlands, and who promulgates the ideas of grasing ecology, the couple introduced a variety of mega fauna including Exmoor ponies, Long Horn cattle, deer and Tamworth pigs onto the estate. Thousands of years ago these animals ancestors performed vital roles in disturbing the land to allow the growth and rejuvenation of vegetation, transferring nutrients and disperse seeds. By harnessing the behaviours of these animals, the Burrells have restored their Sussex estate back to how it would have looked thousands of years ago, reminiscent of an African savanna, made up of scrubland and clumps of forestry, with meandering streams and large pools.
A great success story has been the restoration of the River Adur which flows through the estate. By removing the weirs, sea trout have began to migrate up the river. In restoring the natural meanders of the river and connecting it with floodplains, the Burrells have helped to improve the water quality of the area, and protect areas further down stream from flooding. The introduction of woody debris has also created new areas for biodiversity rejuvenation.
Knepp has been described as the “Leading Light in the conservation movement” and become one of the most significant conservation projects in the country, ”putting nature in the driving wheel” and following a process-led, non goal orientated approach .
Burrell & Isabella, now work with farmers, and policy makers on implementing what they have discovered across Britain and the world, including publishing a book: Wilding in 2018. Their success doesn’t end here, the couple have made their once unprofitable estate a huge financial success, with clamping & glamping, safari tours to view rare birds such as storks in their natural environment, and a wild meat business, supplied by the mega fauna in the rewilding project.
Knepp’s example is not only a story of hope for the future, but a tangible example for landowners & farmers as to how to improve their lands biodiversity whilst making it profitable.
