Boothby Wildlands - Site Introduction
As part of our ongoing partnership with Nattergal, Boothby Wildlands is the home to some of our first Bio Net Gain Units. Here's a bit more information about that site and restoration.
Nattergal’s first site is Boothby Wildland in Lincolnshire, a 617 hectare arable farm with variable grade 3 soil types. It was purchased in December 2021.
Following lessons learnt from Knepp Wildland in Sussex, Boothby will stagger its retreat from arable farming over the next three years, gradually removing fields from intensive cereal production. The farm has been part of a well managed agri-environment scheme for the past decade – meaning that around the edges are small species-rich hotspots of nature waiting to burst out and colonise the depleted monoculture arable fields. Together with the variable soil types, the degraded River Glen, and adjacent ancient woodland, this makes Boothby a wonderful opportunity for nature recovery.
Once natural vegetation has a chance to re-establish (primarily through natural colonisation) free-roaming herbivores will be introduced to kickstart dynamic natural processes and drive ecosystem recovery. Natural hydrology on the site will also be restored to further stimulate a dynamic, functioning ecosystem.
As one of the 22 first-round ELMs Landscape Recovery pilots, Boothby will demonstrate how to build an innovative business model for rewilding, sell ecosystem services, help establish a rewilding community and encourage nature to thrive.
Current situation
Boothby is currently contract-farmed and employs 1.5 people. It has hotspots of nature around the edges created and preserved by the previous owners. The canalised River Glen flows through the project and the variable soil types at Boothby present an amazing opportunity for varying plant communities and ecosystems.
Our process
Once natural vegetation has a chance to re-establish, primarily through natural regeneration, free-roaming animals will be introduced to kickstart dynamic natural processes and continue the work of soil and habitat restoration. Natural water systems on the site will also be restored to further stimulate a dynamic, functioning ecosystem.
Project aims
Nattergal will create an important natural asset in this intensively farmed region of the UK. This will bring significant economic and social benefits to the local community, including nature-based employment, volunteering opportunities, and engagement with the community and local schools.
At Boothby Wildland, Biodiversity Units UK and Nattergal are collaborating on a project that speaks volumes about the potential for ecological rejuvenation within heavily farmed landscapes. This isn't just about revitalizing habitats and ecosystems; it's about sowing the seeds of prosperity within the local community. By fostering nature-based jobs, volunteer programs, and engaging with schools, this initiative aims to create not just a restored landscape but also a stronger bond between people and the natural world. It's a step toward coexisting more harmoniously with nature, nurturing both the land and the human spirit.