Nattergal’s Boothby, Rewilding Diaries - February 2024
Each month we share news with you on the fantastic progress and comings and goings at Nattergal’s site in Boothby, Lincolnshire.
Exciting river restoration plans
We’re exploring the option of reintroducing beavers into a large enclosure on the section of the West Glen River that flows through Boothby Wildland. From helping reduce flooding to improving water quality, beavers can be a major benefit to the landscape. This is an idea that we are hugely excited about and believe will have great benefits for the immediate – and wider – environment around Boothby.
Beavers are the ultimate ecosystem engineers and experts from across the UK are helping us understand how they help transform the landscape. We’re thrilled that the results show these dam-building, semi-aquatic animals can deliver our vision to ‘slow the flow’ of the West Glen. Beavers help restore rivers by reducing flood risk at the same time as improving water quality, while also creating a fabulous wildlife habitat.
Drawing on the expertise of the University of Exeter, reintroduction expert Derek Gow and the Beaver Trust, we’ll continue to explore options. If we are granted a license for an enclosed beaver release, then our plans will mean that Boothby Wildland will be home to the largest beaver enclosure in the UK.
To read more about the need for river restoration – and the role of beavers – read our blog by Site Manager Lorienne Whittle here.
Signs of spring
One of the most exciting things about this time of year is the new growth and life outside. Little signs of the changing season are popping up around the Wildland.
Meteorological spring is aligned with our monthly calendar, so officially starts on 1 March. Astronomical spring can vary as it’s calculated by the position of the earth in relation to the sun – this year it begins on 20 March. However, nature isn’t waiting around and it’s pleasing to see some new growth springing up.
Whilst hazel (Corylus avellana, above) doesn’t have leaves yet, it does have beautiful dangling catkins, which become more yellow and fluffy-looking as they open to release their pollen. Look closely in the coming weeks and you may also spot the female parts on the same plant – the small buds will open up to reveal a tiny crimson flower. It’s located here so that the hazel avoids self-pollination, but on a dry and breezy day the pollen will float off to fertilise another hazel nearby. Pollination results in hazel nuts forming and these are needed for this lovely shrub to spread.
Perhaps one of the most iconic signs of spring, the snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) is also known as the ‘fair maid of February’, being one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the year. Unfortunately, we don’t have many snowdrops around Boothby Wildland, but they are a spectacular sight at this time of year, especially en masse.
Last year for farming
When we took over the stewardship of the Boothby site in December 2021, we always planned the short-term phasing out of arable farming. The plan has been to remove a third of the land from intensive agriculture each year, and this is something we’ve stuck to. As a result, and with the winter wheat having already been sown, 2024 will be the last arable harvest from Boothby Wildland.
With over 600ha for nature recovery, in time we’ll be bringing in some large herbivores to help us manage the land in a way that supports wildlife and ecosystem services. However, we need to give the land, especially the soil, a little time to recover and flush with new vegetation first.
Paw patrol at Boothby
Drop into the Boothby Lodge at any time and you’ll be met with a friendly face (that’s us!) and a waggy tail or two (not us!). We have lots of four-legged friends amongst the growing team and Boothby meetings are often structured with the chance to go off and explore on foot.
Wilf, a four-month-old wire-haired pointer (above), is our newest team member. He’s stretching his daily walk limit as he grows to explore more at Boothby. He’s also on a strict training regime, so will remain on a lead outside of the garden until he listens to all commands all the time (instead of the current ‘ignore and pull a cute face’ tactic!).
We love seeing other people out walking their dogs, enjoying the countryside and observing the seasonal changes as Boothby transforms on its rewilding journey. We’ll have some plans for extended public footpaths and bridleways to reveal too soon, meaning once the infrastructure is in place, you’ll be able to enjoy even more land.
It’s also really important that we protect the wildlife that call this place home. Whilst many fields are no longer in crop, it might seem very tempting to walk across them – we understand this urge but please keep to the footpaths, with dogs under tight control. Wild animals can easily be disturbed by an inquisitive hound before they even realise. In the future we’ll also have free-roaming herbivores (such as cows, pigs and ponies) that should feel safe and able to graze undisturbed away from the paths, so it’s important we create good habits now.
All the footpaths should be clearly marked and if you’d like a digital version just drop us an email at boothby@nattergal.co.uk. Equally, as regular users of this huge area, you’re all our ‘eyes and ears on the ground’ so if there’s any access problems, please do not hesitate to get in touch.