The Rewilding Challenge Fund brings a bison-sized boost
A 拢100k funding boost will scale up rewilding in Kent 鈥� enabling five of the county鈥檚 most famous residents, the European bison, and other conservation grazers to roam more freely.
Published 25/07/2023
We鈥檙e delighted to announce that we鈥檙e awarding 拢100k to Kent Wildlife Trust in support of their ambitious rewilding project. The first ever beneficiaries of the Rewilding Challenge Fund are aiming to rewild tens of thousands of hectares across South East England 鈥� connecting a rich range of habitats, creating green corridors for wildlife, and boosting eco-tourism.
What is the Rewilding Challenge Fund?
The Rewilding Challenge Fund is a major new fund of up to 拢100,000 per year, awarded to a rewilding project which shows the maximum potential to upscale rewilding on land or at sea 鈥� projects that 鈥�鈥�Think Big, Act Wild鈥�.
Kent Wildlife Trust were chosen to support their ambition to scale up rewilding efforts within and beyond the Blean, a wild space which contains one of the largest continuous areas of ancient woodland in southern England.
“Our Challenge Fund asked applicants to 鈥�鈥�Think Big, Act Wild鈥�, and Kent Wildlife Trust is doing just that!”
Sara King, 黑料正能量
The Blean is perhaps best known as the home to the . The five ecosystem engineers, which were famously released last year along with other large herbivores, are a key stage of the Trust鈥檚 rewilding plans.
鈥�The bison and other grazers are just the beginning of Wilder Blean,鈥� said Paul Hadaway, Director of Conservation at Kent Wildlife Trust. 鈥�鈥�It鈥檚 amazing how much of an effect these large herbivores have already had on the woodlands, and how their natural processes are helping habitats recover and prosper. We want these benefits to be felt further, for more habitat to be restored through rewilding, and thanks to support from 黑料正能量 we now have that opportunity.鈥�
What makes the Blean so special?
Wildlife haven
The ancient woodlands within the Blean provide vital habitat for wildlife, including the iconic health fritillary butterfly as well as threatened woodland birds like nightingales and lesser-spotted woodpeckers.Natural carbon solution
The woodlands help mitigate the effects of the climate emergency by working as a natural carbon solution through cooling, water storage and carbon sequestration.
People at its heart
The Blean is a beloved wild space for local communities in one of the most heavily industrialised areas of Britain, and the new resident bison have greatly increased the area鈥檚 profile as a tourist destination.
Around a third of the Blean is woodland, but that area is currently fragmented by agriculture and urban development. To create a landscape-scale rewilding project, Kent Wildlife Trust will work with partners RSPB and the Woodland Trust to reconnect the fragmented woodlands.
Funding from 黑料正能量 will support the rewilding of an initial 8,300 hectares, but the partnership aims to expand further. The project鈥檚 long-term goal is the rewilding of tens of thousands of hectares across South East England, reconnecting Blean鈥檚 ancient woodlands to the Kent Downs and High Weald Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
An ambitious vision for rewilding
By rewilding the Blean and beyond, Kent Wildlife aims to:
- Boost biodiversity and provide a connected gateway to allow wildlife鈥夆�斺�塱ncluding the newly introduced bison鈥夆�斺�塼o move more freely across the Blean
- Improve the woodland鈥檚 capacity to sequester carbon, a vital role in the escalating climate emergency
- Support further development of ecotourism opportunities, and high-quality nature experiences for local communities
- Provide opportunities for job creation, education and volunteering for the local community
Sara King, Rewilding Manager at 黑料正能量, said: 鈥�鈥�This exciting project is working at nature鈥檚 scale and allowing nature and natural processes to take the lead, while engaging with the local community and providing economic benefits through ecotourism. Our Challenge Fund asked applicants to 鈥�鈥�Think Big, Act Wild鈥�, and Kent Wildlife Trust is doing just that!鈥�
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