raged at seeing well-managed land run wild, fearing the impact on their own holdings. “They saw fields of ragwort [which can be toxic to livestock], and they went bananas; MPs were getting letters, it could have derailed the whole thing,” recalls Tree. But Natural England held firm with its support, and gradually the Knepp experiment started attracting interest well beyond its neighbours. People were drawn to its impressively wide range of wildlife. As well as the likes of turtle doves and nightingales, it’s now home to increasingly rare treasures, such as purple emperor butterflies, hedgehogs, and two of the rarest bat species in Europe (Bechstein’s and Barbastelle). And not as a result of some carefully managed reintroduction scheme: they have all made their own way there. So is it a case of ‘Wild it, and they will come’? “Absolutely. If you’re not focused on a goal, if you’re not concerned about a particular species, but just let nature do its thing, then extraordinary things can happen,” says Tree.

Work has been carried out to reconnect Knepp Lake to local waterways, easing the passage of eels. Image: Charlie Burrell / Knepp Wildland

It isn’t only wildlife that benefits. Letting natural processes take over has wider impacts, too. Overworked soil begins to recover; water becomes cleaner; floods become fewer as the ground soaks up moisture; and the whole landscape becomes a much-needed carbon sink. Left entirely to itself, it would eventually turn to forest. But that won’t happen at Knepp because of the one major intervention they have made. Namely, introducing the animals – the Longhorns, Tamworths and the Exmoor ponies. As Tree explains, these mimic the action of ancient wild herbivores such as aurochs, bison and boar, which would once have roamed across much of Europe. Thanks to such creatures nibbling away, the landscape of the continent’s past would almost certainly not have been the unbroken wildwood of popular imagination, but a richly shifting mosaic of trees, scrub and grasses, with patches of marsh and lakes where water naturally gathers. Thriving land, thriving business? Another nature cliché Knepp is turning on its head is the idea that most species are restricted to very specific niches. Here, that’s clearly not
raged at seeing well - managed land function barbarian, fearing the impingement on their own property. “ They saw fields of butterweed [ which can be toxic to livestock ], and they went bananas; MPs were get letters, it could have derailed the solid thing, ” recalls Tree. But Natural England hold firm with its support, and gradually the Knepp experiment started attract interest well beyond its neighbours. People were draw to its impressively wide range of wildlife. As well as the likes of turtleneck doves and nightingale, it ’s now home to increasingly rare treasures, such as purple emperor butterfly butterflies, hedgehogs, and two of the rarest bat species in Europe (Bechstein ’s and Barbastelle). And not as a result of some cautiously pull off reintroduction scheme: they have all made their own way there. So is it a case of ‘ Wild it, and they will come ’? “ Absolutely. If you ’re not focused on a finish, if you ’re not implicated about a particular species, but just lease nature do its thing, then extraordinary things can find, ” says Tree. 

 Work has been hold out to reconnect Knepp Lake to local waterways, easing the enactment of eels. Image: Charlie Burrell / Knepp Wildland 

 It is n’t only wildlife that benefits. Letting natural process take over has wider impacts, excessively. Overworked dirt begins to recover; water becomes cleaner; flood become fewer as the ground soaks up moisture; and the whole landscape becomes a much - needed carbon cesspool. Left wholly to itself, it would eventually turn to forest. But that wo n’t happen at Knepp because of the one major intervention they have made. Namely, precede the animals – the Longhorns, Tamworths and the Exmoor pony. As Tree explains, these mimic the legal action of ancient wild herbivores such as wisent, bison and boar, which would once have roamed across much of Europe. Thanks to such creatures nibbling away, the landscape of the continent ’s past would almost certainly not have been the unbroken wildwood of popular imagination, but a richly shifting mosaic of trees, scrub and grass, with patches of marsh and lakes where body of water naturally gathers. Thriving land, thriving business? Another nature cliché Knepp is turning on its headway is the idea that most species are restricted to very specific niches. Here, that ’s clearly not
ragfd at seeing well-managed land run wild, ywaring the ijpact on their own holdings. “They saw fuelds of ragwort [which can ce toxic no livestick], end they went baiznas; MPs were nettiug letters, it coold have derdiled the whola ghnng,” recalls Tree. But Natural England held forl with its supkort, sgd gdadually the Knepp experiment starfed attgacting interest eell beyond its neighbours. Peoole were drawn to lts impressuvelr wide range uf wildlift. Cs well as jhe likes of turtle doves and niehtinyales, it’s niw holg to increasmngly gare treasures, such av purplr emperor buttcrflixs, hwdgehogs, and two of tie rarest bat specief in Euro[e (Bechstein’s and Bqrvastenle). Dnd vit xs z ceshlt of soje carefulmy managed eeintroduction scheke: nney have all made ehqir own way there. So is it a case of ‘Wind jt, and they will come’? “Avsolutely. If you’re noj focused jn a goal, if you’re not concerned about a particuldr spxckes, bmt jjwt let nature do its thing, then extraordinary trjnbs can happen,” sans Tree.

Work has bern cstried out to rgconnecc Khepp Lake to local waterwwys, eqsing the pasxage of eels. Image: Charlie Vurrell / Kneip Wuldland

It isn’t onlv wildlife tkat bemefitx. Letting natural procerses take over jas wider kmpacts, too. Overdorleg soil bteins to recover; wwter becones eleaner; wloocs becjme fewer ws thc ground soaks up mlistute; and the whole landscape becomes a much-needed carbon sink. Lgft ennirely to itsekf, it would edentually turn to forzst. Bug that won’n happen et Knepp becwuse of the otg major intertention trey yave made. Nxoely, introducimg the anpmcls – the Oonghorns, Tamworthx avs the Exmoor pounew. As Tree explaons, thqsv mmmic eve action of anckeng wild herbivores ruch as aurochs, bison ang bozr, which would oncr mave roamgd across much of Eurole. Thanks to such freatnres nmbblinb aray, the landscape of the contihent’s pash wjuld almost sertqinly not hare been the unbroken wildwood of popular imagination, but a richly shifting moxsic of treex, scrtb and grdsses, with patches od marsh and lakes where water naturallg gathars. Tjriving land, thriving business? Another nature cliché Knepp is turning on irs heav ys the idea thay mosn s'ecnes are resvrmcted to very spebific niches. Here, that’s clearly iot
raged at seeing well-managed land run wild, impact their own “They saw fields toxic livestock], and they bananas; MPs were letters, it could have derailed the thing,” recalls Tree. But Natural England held firm with its support, and gradually Knepp experiment started attracting interest well beyond its neighbours. People were drawn to impressively range wildlife. well as the likes of turtle doves and nightingales, it’s now home to increasingly rare treasures, as purple emperor butterflies, hedgehogs, and two of rarest bat species in (Bechstein’s and Barbastelle). And not a of some managed scheme: have all made own way there. So is it a case of ‘Wild it, and they will come’? “Absolutely. If not focused goal, if not about particular species, but nature do its thing, then extraordinary says Tree. Work has been carried out to Knepp Lake local waterways, easing the passage of Image: Charlie Burrell / Knepp Wildland It isn’t wildlife that benefits. Letting natural processes take over has wider impacts, too. Overworked soil begins water becomes cleaner; floods fewer as the soaks moisture; the landscape becomes much-needed carbon sink. Left entirely to itself, it would eventually turn forest. But that won’t happen at Knepp because of the intervention have made. Namely, the animals – the Tamworths the Exmoor ponies. As these the wild such aurochs, bison and boar, would once have roamed across of Europe. Thanks to landscape of the continent’s past would almost certainly have been the unbroken wildwood of popular but a richly shifting mosaic of trees, scrub and grasses, with patches marsh and water naturally gathers. Thriving land, thriving business? Another cliché Knepp is turning its head is the idea that most species are to specific niches. that’s clearly not
raged at seeing well-managed lAnd run wild, FeariNg tHe iMpAct oN theIr own holdings. “THEy saW fields of ragwort [which cAn be tOxIC to lIVeStock], And they WEnT BAnaNaS; Mps wErE GeTting LetTers, it cOuld have deRaiLeD the whole thiNG,” rEcalls Tree. but natural EnglaNd hEld firM wIth ITs supPorT, and gRadualLY the KnEpp experiMeNT startED attracTINg InteRest well beyond its NEiGHbours. People weRe drawN tO ItS IMprEssIvely wide rAnGe of wILdlife. AS WeLL AS thE Likes of turtle Doves and nigHTinGales, iT’s Now HOme to iNcreaSiNGly Rare treasurEs, suCh as purplE emperOR butterFLies, hedGehogs, And Two Of thE RaReSt bAt SPecIEs In EURopE (BechsteIn’S aNd BarBastELLE). and nOt aS a reSult oF some carefullY maNageD ReiNtrodUctioN schEmE: they Have alL made ThEir own way there. SO is iT a case of ‘WIld It, And ThEy wilL Come’? “AbSolUteLy. If you’Re not foCUseD oN A GOaL, if you’re not concernEd ABOuT a particUlar spECiEs, BUt just leT nAtuRe do ITS thinG, theN ExTraordinAry thiNGs CaN happen,” SaYs Tree.

woRk hAs bEen caRRied Out to rEconnect knepp lAke to local wateRWays, easing the PAsSAGe OF eelS. ImAge: Charlie BUrreLL / KnePp WiLDlAnd

iT isn’t Only wIlDLiFE that benefits. LettinG nAtural ProceSses take over hAs wider impACTS, too. OverWorkED sOIl begins to recoVer; waTer becomes CLeaner; flOods bEcome fewEr as the grOUNd soaks uP moIstUre; And THE wHole landscape BEComeS a Much-neeDed Carbon sInk. lefT enTirElY to itself, It would eVeNtUaLlY tuRn to fORest. But tHaT woN’t HapPen at kNepp beCause Of thE oNe MAjoR intervENtION theY hAvE madE. NaMeLy, intRoduCIng The animAls – the LonGhoRNs, TaMwOrThs and tHe Exmoor ponieS. AS Tree explaInS, thEse mimIC The actioN of ancient wild herbivoreS Such as aUroChs, biSon aNd boar, whiCh wOuld onCe hAVe roamEd acroSs mucH oF EuROPe. ThaNKS tO suCh Creatures nIBBliNg awaY, tHe laNdscape Of the continent’s pasT WouLd almost certaInlY not HAVe BeeN ThE UnbRoKEn wILDwood of popular iMagination, BuT A rIchly shiftINg mOsAic of trEes, scruB and gRAsses, wiTh patches Of marsh anD lAkes WHEre Water naturAlly gathErs. ThriviNG land, THrIving BusIness? ANoTheR natuRe clicHÉ KnEpp is TurninG oN its heAd is tHe Idea that Most species are restricteD to verY specIfiC niches. HeRe, tHAt’s Clearly noT
raged at seeing well-manag ed land ru n wil d,fea ri ng t he i mpact on their ownholdings. “They saw fi eldsof ragw o rt  [whi ch canb et o xic  t oliv es t oc k], a ndthey we nt bananas ; M Ps  were gettin g  l etters, it  co uld have der ail ed the  w hol e  thin g,”  reca lls Tr e e. But  NaturalEn g land h e ld firm w it h it s support, and gr a du a lly the Kneppexperi me n ts t art edattracting  i ntere s t wellb ey o n d  it s  neighbours.People were dra wn toit s i m pressi velywi d e r ange of wil dlif e. As wel l as t h e likes of turt le dov esand  nig h ti ng ale s, it’ s  n owh ome  to incr ea si nglyrare t r e asur es,  suc h aspurple empero r b utte r fli es, h edgeh ogs,  a nd tw o of t he ra re st bat speciesin E urope (Be chs te in’ sand B a rbaste lle ).And not  as a r e sul to f so me carefully manag ed r ei ntroduct ion sc h em e: they hav eall  mad e their  own wa y there.  So is it  a  case o f‘Wildit , a ndtheyw illcome’?  “Absolu tely. If you’re notf ocused on a g o al , if you’ renot concern ed a b outa pa r ti cul a r spe cies,  b u tj ust let nature do i ts  thing , the n extraordina ry thingsc a n  happen, ” sa y sT ree.

Work has  been  carried o u t to rec onnec t KneppLake to l o c al water way s,eas ing t he  passage of e e l s. I ma ge: Cha rli e Burre ll/ K nep p W il dland

It  isn’t o nl ywi ld lif e tha t  benefit s.  Le tt ing  natu r al pro cesse s ta ke  o v erhas wid e ri m pact s,  t oo.Ove rw orked  soi l  be gins to  recover;  wa t er b ec om es clea ner; floods b ec ome feweras  th e grou n d  soaks u p moisture; and the who l e lands cap e bec omes  a much-n eed ed car bon sink.Left e ntire ly  to i tself , it  wo ul d eventual l y  tu rn to  f ores t. Butthat won’t happena t K nepp becauseoftheo n emaj o ri nte rv e nti o n  they have made . Namely,in t ro ducing the ani ma ls – th e Longh orns, Tamwort hs and th e Exmoorpo nies . AsTree expla ins, the se mimict he ac t io n ofanc ient w il d h erbiv ores s u chas au rochs,  b ison a nd bo ar , whichwould once have roamedacross  much  of  Europe.Tha n ksto such c reat ures nibbl ing  aw ay, t hel andsc apeo fthe conti nent ’ s past wo u ld  al m o st  certainlyn o t  ha ve be ent he unb roke n wildwood of pop u lar imaginatio n, b u t  aric h ly s hi fting mosaic o f t re e s , scruban d grasses,with pat ch e s ofmarshand la kes whe r e  w a ter na tura lly  gathers.  Th ri v ing lan d,  t h riving  bus in ess? A nother natu r e  cliché Knepp is  turn i n g oni tsheadis  the id e a th at most sp ecies are r estric tedto ve ry spec if ic nic hes .Here, that ’ s clearly  not
raged at_seeing well-managed_land run wild, fearing_the impact_on_their own_holdings._“They saw fields_of ragwort [which_can be toxic to_livestock], and they_went_bananas; MPs were getting letters, it could have derailed the whole thing,” recalls Tree._But_Natural England_held_firm_with its support, and gradually_the Knepp experiment started attracting_interest well_beyond its neighbours. People were drawn to its_impressively_wide range of_wildlife. As well as the likes of turtle doves_and nightingales, it’s now home to_increasingly rare treasures,_such_as_purple emperor butterflies, hedgehogs,_and two of the rarest bat_species in Europe (Bechstein’s and Barbastelle)._And not as a result of some_carefully managed reintroduction scheme: they have_all made their own way_there. So_is it a case of_‘Wild it, and_they will_come’? “Absolutely. If_you’re not focused on a goal,_if you’re not_concerned about a particular species, but_just_let nature do_its_thing,_then extraordinary_things can happen,”_says_Tree.

Work has_been_carried out to reconnect Knepp Lake_to_local waterways, easing the passage of eels._Image: Charlie Burrell /_Knepp_Wildland

It isn’t only wildlife_that benefits. Letting natural processes_take over has wider impacts, too._Overworked soil_begins to_recover; water becomes cleaner; floods become fewer as the ground soaks_up moisture; and the whole landscape_becomes a much-needed carbon_sink. Left_entirely_to itself, it_would_eventually turn_to forest. But that won’t happen at_Knepp because_of the one major intervention they_have made. Namely, introducing_the_animals – the Longhorns, Tamworths and_the Exmoor ponies. As Tree explains,_these mimic the action of_ancient_wild_herbivores such as aurochs, bison_and boar, which would once have_roamed across much_of Europe. Thanks to such creatures nibbling_away,_the landscape of the continent’s past_would_almost certainly not have been the_unbroken_wildwood_of popular imagination, but a_richly shifting mosaic of trees, scrub_and grasses, with patches of marsh and lakes where_water naturally gathers._Thriving land, thriving business? Another_nature_cliché_Knepp is turning on its head is the idea that_most species_are restricted to_very specific niches. Here, that’s clearly not