What happens if you let it all go, rewilding so to speak? What about if you let nature re-forest land rather than planting trees?

This was a question we were asking ourselves twenty years ago. So we did. We took a small field and did just that. Choosing a small () field, west facing,, frost pocket, un-drained and surrounded by mature trees - i.e. not very productive! First of all we put it down to grass for grazing a few horses and then 10 years ago we walked away completely.

Now it is a haven for wildlife and biodiversity. The mature trees around the edges providing the seed stock for hundreds of saplings. Bramble and Dog Rose living up to their reputation, Thorn as the nurse for Oak as the Oaks, Ash, Hazel and Sycamore begin to grow up through and above the thorn. Tussocky grasses provide refuge for insects galore and growing ant hills larders for green woodpeckers. Grazing deer have given patches of short grass allowing hunters like Barn and Tawny Owls easier prey and sunny patches for Adders and Grass snakes to bask.

Location is key. Not only surrounded by trees, the field is across a lane from our reservoirs, next to the Church Yard and backs onto other old parkland. So it is now it is more than the sum of it’s parts and we look forwards to seeing how it continues to evolve, storing Carbon and building biodiversity.