The current UK agricultural subsidies system means big money for large scale land-holdings. Or at least for the time being, as the Agricultural Bill (see our newsletter from December 2018) is on track to become the most radical change to British farming since the UK joined the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). During the proposed time of subsidy withdrawal there will undoubtably be winners and losers. However, the proposed direct payments for land-owner’s to provide “public goods” also lays the groundwork for exciting opportunities for rewilding projects. Rewilding is a land management approach by which conveniently managed land can revert to produce fully functioning ecosystems. Notable examples include Knepp Castle Estate and Wild Ennerdale – which have seen the return of nationally rare species, restored rivers and boosted the local economy. Rewilding has been hailed as the silver bullet for British conservation – providing everything from natural flood defences, to ecotourism revenue, and the reintroduction of lost species. A future post-Brexit era will most likely provide the catalyst needed for landowners to diversify their income with a rewilded landscape in mind. But where can we find the best opportunities for future rewilding under the proposed new system? The answer is in the uplands. With farming collectives such as the North Flood Management Group whose current upland wetland and river restoration projects are already making sizeable impacts to river catchments basins across the North of England. However, opportunities can also be found in the lowlands, with farmers who wish to work in collectives such as the Farmer Cluster have the chance to produce landscape scale rewilding. This has been seen in the Martin Downs Farmer Cluster, whose combined efforts under the guidance of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme have seen the remarkable return of nationally rare species and increase biodiversity across the region. It is easy to envision in a post subsidy era that the combined pull of future direct payments for environmental beneficial land-use practices and the push generated from the need for farmers and other land-holders to diversify their incomes will provide perfect conditions for future rewilding across Britain. Now is the time for conservationists, farmers and land owners to engage one another and to seriously consider and plan for the prospect of landscape based cooperative rewilding projects. The outcome of which would provide net benefits for not only wildlife and land owners but for us all.
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