James was delighted to visit local rewilding project, Wild Ken Hill, to discover more about their plan to return 1,500 acres of Norfolk land back to nature.
Wild Ken Hill is named after the forested hill in the centre of this area. In October 2019, farm machinery rolled over the land for the last time and with the soils in a desperate condition, the decision was made to stop the harsh, modern agricultural techniques. From this point on, Wild Ken Hill was handed back to nature; the land was set free to go wild.
The mission is to drastically change the way land is used at Wild Ken Hill, to deliver benefits for people, wildlife and the climate. Rather than following the harsh agricultural and forestry techniques that have contributed to record emissions and species loss, Wild Ken Hill want to show that land can be used to fight climate change, to manage air and water quality, and as a space for nature and people. In the process, they hope to demonstrate the power of a 'rewilding' approach, both as a tool for environmental good, but also as a way for farmers to reinvigorate their businesses. In time, the team hopes the soils will recover, natural vegetation will grow, biodiversity will explode once more – and nature will return. Other projects around the UK – in particular Knepp in Sussex – have demonstrated the astonishing impact of this approach in improving biodiversity, and providing natural climate solutions like carbon capture and flood defence.
In March, Wild Ken Hill released two beavers into an enclosure at Wild Ken Hill. This will be the first time that beavers have existed in Norfolk for hundreds of years, and it’s a massive step towards growing the biodiversity at Wild Ken Hill. The dams, channels and other structures that beavers engineer will help the land to hold onto water better and to prevent floodying. By restoring wetlands, beavers help to ensure that when it rains hard, the land will absorb more water, and when it’s dry, the land will also stay wetter. Recent camera trap footage has shown the beavers almost instant impact on the land, bringing other species including goshawk bathing in the ponds and an otter who spent over a week in the area for the first time in decades.
After the visit, James Wild MP said -
"Although I didn’t get to see the beavers, I was incredibly impressed by Wild Ken Hill.
Dominic and the team are leading the way towards a more sustainable future by combining an ambitious rewilding programme, regenerative agriculture and conservation all on one site.
With new reforms in the Agriculture and Environment Bills just around the corner, the Wild Ken Hill approach is a demonstration of how a focus on public goods can deliver benefits for our area.
Read more about the work at Wild Ken Hill on their website: https://wildkenhill.co.uk/
Follow the latest updates on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildkenhill_norfolk/
