Rewilding Projects Workshop
 

Purpose....

To discuss the issues and priorities facing rewilding projects, and how to encourage new projects.

What happened…

Rachel started the group with a description of the issues that faced the Wild Ennerdale project, and then broadened the discussion. The key points were as follows:.

Wild Ennerdale Project - an example with simple land ownership:

  • complexities in land ownership elsewhere.

  • need to demonstrate what areas have potential.

Next 10 years will lead to big change:

  • need to find ways of stressing relevance to landowners/all involved (e.g. Farmers)

Land purchase is an option

Examples elsewhere to use

  • e.g. Dolomites: deliberate policy in place.

Perceptions of ‘wildness’

  • may look wild, but is thoroughly controlled (e.g. lowland heath)

Going to ‘wilderness’ may put people off

  • abandonment

  • social exclusion

“Core” wilderness

  • is Ennerdale such an area?

  • is it wild enough?

  • is a lack of settlement significant?

Public subsidy is still high, stopping upland change…therefore cut out subsidy. Low policy intervention

Projects often need High intervention initially

Natural England – opportunity to enthuse a new organisation; new grant schemes

Need to break away from current composition/management to allow for changes

Broadening of ‘acceptable limits’ in SSSI and other designations

Building acceptance of change in the landscape/overcome people’s fear of change, fear of being shut out.

Issues of future farming enterprises, bringing tenants on board (tenancy succession)

Promote the idea that landscape has always changed, the countryside is not necessarily all neat and tidy. Need for gradual education/explanation.

Regional demonstration areas: involve local groups to gain support; landowners as well as NGOs etc.; volunteers/community links; art links.

WORKSHOP PRIORITIES

  • Building acceptance of change
  • Illustrate regional variations
  • New opportunites
    eg: CAP reform, ‘Natural England’ (EN, CA, RDS)
     structural change in farming

Present:

Rachel Yannick, facilitator, .......tbc