What if . . . the natural world could regenerate and become fruitful and flowerful, allowing a profusion of wildlife to flourish.
The UK has lost around 97% of our species-rich grasslands since the 1930s How long would it take to reclaim it for nature? What would it involve? Is it just too unattainable? Am I dreaming?
Well, my dream has just come to pass – or at least it has begun to be fulfilled.
Aug 08, 2023
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Reclaiming for Nature – Aug23.pdf
An overgrazed field stripped of fertility by horses is restored into a rich wildlife meadow, teeming with wildflowers and grasshoppers.
Regina Ebner, from A Rocha, writes: It was incredible to see 4 acres teeming with new life! We estimated that the meadow contained over 500.000 grasshoppers- half a million lives born to honour their creator. It is truly magical lying in a meadow alive with wildlife and remembering that we serve a God of abundance. From a scientific point of view the grasshoppers were making a cacophony of noise because they were breeding and holding territory. But at another level it was like a symphony playing music to God.
The variety of wildflowers is also wonderful – too many to list – enriching the soil and attracting butterflies– mainly Red Admiral and seen one Jersey Tiger.
Dragonflies and damselflies enjoy the plentiful supply of food, while Red Kites and Buzzards circle overhead. Around the edge of the meadow the young hedging plants are at last beginning to look like a hedge. Layers upon layers of biodiverse plant and insect life tell of the restoration. And we can delight the children with all they are able to find.
Credit where it is due. A Rocha UK, a Christian organisation, with whom I have been associated for many years, encouraged and guided me. By June 2021 they were ready to launch me as a Partner in Action – joining the collaborative network of Christian organisations and land managers who are demonstrating active care for the natural world. Our aim, with A Rocha, is to manage the land for people and nature, so as to increase biodiversity and the abundance of wildlife. The second aim is to encourage more people to engage with nature – for us that means Forest School children.
Background – The land at Blacknest House has been in my family’s ownership since 1960 – a substantial woodland and a large field in front of the house where ponies grazed. The woodland was abruptly transformed in 1987 when the huge storm took down about 15 mature beech trees. This created the open parkland and heathland which my father spent hours replanting. The adventure of managing the land for nature and enriched biodiversity started about 4 years ago.
Today I can see the transformation and acknowledge how much has changed, how much more biodiverse the place has become.
A quick snapshot of improvements made:
I have planted about 400 native English saplings though not all survived the rigours of drought in 2022 or the munching of the roe deer who live here.
Fallen mature trees remain in situ which are wonderful habitats for insects and great climbing frame for children.
There is a patch of heathland – important for several rare species which thrive on heathers and gorses, remembering that we have lost 85% of heathlands over the last 100 years.
Birds are an important part of the story, with at least 19 species of birds breeding here and perhaps the same number again found here. With management that could rise to 45-50 species and should rise even higher if we can attract birds with good habitats.
There are two exclusion ‘no graze’ zones have been created to keep out foraging deer, and rabbits where the under-storey is allowed to thicken up year on year.
There are almost 30 bird boxes across the site which should offer protection to breeding birds (if we can keep the squirrel numbers down). Feeding the birds especially through winter with seeds and nuts enables them to over winter, plus water to drink. It is such a delight to watch the birds feeding and thriving here.
There are wood piles and bug hotels – great protection for insects. Several hives are alive with honeybees that produce wonderful raw honey. The fruit trees are doing well and we had a bumper harvest of plums. The vegetable garden produces a mass of beans and courgettes and potatoes to share. Digging up our potatoes, then building a fire and cooking them was a great morning recently at Forest School. It is good to consider the impact of our diet on the planet and our neighbours.
A large area of rhododendron has been cleared as they provide poor habitat for nesting birds and mammals, and a poor source of food for most species.
The pond has been cleaned and now attracts many different kinds of aquatic life, such as common lizards, frogs and dragonfly larvae.
Blacknest Forest School has successfully shown how to engage children with nature, enabling them to discover more and more about the birds, bugs, our pollinators, mammals, trees and the whole web of life.
The children can explore all aspects of this web of life for themselves by delving into the soil, exploring pond life, making compost, bug hotels, feeding birds, planting trees and much more.
We can open their eyes to what we all can do to protect the natural world while at the same time enabling them to freely explore, observe and play – whether making dens or imaginary creations in the mud kitchen.
We hope to inspire the next generation to engage positively with the natural world.
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