FAQs
Why is it important to restore land for nature?
There is incontrovertible evidence that we are facing an ecological crisis in the form of biodiversity collapse and climate breakdown, and these things have a very real impact on human wellbeing. Restoring ecosystems means more resilient landscapes that offer myriad benefits to both nature and society. In the UK, one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, managing land for nature can make a dramatic difference. Find out more here
Have you already chosen a piece of land you would like to buy?
No, we are watching the markets for the right sort of property to come up. When it does, we will need to be ready to place an offer. This means it’s better to fundraise beforehand, and difficult to fundraise once something is already up for sale.
How much land will you be buying, and what will it be like?
We will probably be buying between 10 acres and 20 acres, depending on how much money we can raise. We are looking for land in the uplands of the Peak District, where it has less value for farming. Much of the Peak District is upland heath, blanket bog, or acid grassland, but some is limestone grassland. We don’t yet know the exact nature of the habitats, but expect it to be high, windy, and often wet!
What will happen if you don’t make your target, or you can’t raise enough money?
We have been saving for this project for a long time. If we don’t make our fundraising target, we will simply have to save for a little longer, or buy less land. Our situation currently is “how much land can we afford?” rather than “can we do this at all?” The project will only be abandoned if something truly disastrous happens.
What will you use my donation for?
We will probably use it to buy land, but we may use it to manage that land, depending on how much we raise and what the purchase price is. We will not use it to benefit any member of the organisation personally, e.g. we will not pay ourselves wages from it. Every penny will be used to further the aims of the project. Find out more on our Pledges page.
What is your plan for managing the land?
We would like to use a process-led approach and restore ecosystem function, rather than focusing too much on particular habitats or species. Process-led conservation is part of a rewilding approach, but that doesn’t mean land abandonment. We will still need some interventions to get our ecosystem functioning again, and there are also tasks related to being responsible land managers. In addition, we will need to carry out monitoring, so we know what effect our management is having, and how our land is changing. Find out more on our Project page.
What if you need to sell the land in future?
We have no intention of doing so! In fact, our intention is the opposite - not only to buy land, but then also to move to a legal structure which safeguards it in perpetuity, be it a conservation covenant, a charity, a CIC, or some other route. However, there is always a very small chance we may suffer some unforeseen financial disaster. If that was the case, and as we are putting a large amount of our own savings into this project, we may need to recover our money by selling, though we would look for every other possible solution first. In that circumstance, we would not retain the value of donations as personal income. Instead we would donate that value to a wildlife charity.
Will you be benefitting from the land in any way?
No, apart from the incidental wellbeing of managing land for wildlife. Though we will be seeking income from Payments for Ecosystem Services Schemes, we will put all and any money from that back into managing the land, or even possibly into buying more land to restore for nature. We will not make any personal profit from the land - in fact it is likely the land will continue to cost us money!
How do I know the land will continue to be managed for nature?
There are a number of legal mechanisms we are considering that would ensure this. One is a conservation covenant, which safeguards the land for nature in perpetuity. Other possible mechanisms include turning the project into a charity or Community Interest Company (CIC), in which case the land would likely be “asset locked” (i.e. belonging to) that charity or CIC. Its management would then be dictated by the aims set out in the governance document of those legal structures, and it could not be used for other purposes. The processes and regulations around such things are complex, but we are working on determining the best option(s). We also want to see the land safeguarded for nature into the future.
Can I visit the site?
We would like to help people connect with nature, but we will need to assess if this is both feasible and appropriate once we have bought our land. We need to consider such things as public rights of way, accessibility, safety, and also the potential for recreational damage to species or habitats. If we can, we will allow visitors.
Are you reintroducing any species?
We currently have no plans to do so. Species reintroduction is extremely complicated and has big implications. It typically requires very large-scale conservation projects with considerable backing, and this is beyond what is feasible for us to achieve. Primarily, we are interested in getting our natural processes functioning again, rather than dedicating the site to any particular species.