Wild Wrendale

The Wild Wrendale project is looking to restore natural processes across previous marginal arable land to create a mosaic of opportunities for wildlife. The vision for the project is to encourage the natural regeneration of vegetation, with a small number of cattle creating natural disturbance. Nature recovery and abundance will be kick-started through encouraging a mosaic of different habitat types and restoring biodiversity.

KICK STARTING REWILDING

Arable cropping across the land has ceased to allow the natural regeneration of vegetation, including trees. This is being supplemented with native tree planting to restore the seed source to the area, and improve the diversity of woodland regeneration. A small herd of miniature Hereford cattle have also been introduced to create a mosaic of vegetation and create natural disturbance across the land.

The hydrology of the project was altered though the installation of land drains, and the team are now reversing this by breaking them up and restoring the natural water levels. This is being supplemented with additional wetland creation to improve the diversity of habitats.