Welcome to
Wonderful Wild West
Bugs Birds Beasts
Biodiversity project
Horses Heal Hearts
Therapeutic Horsemanship
Nature Education
Wild School
WONDERFUL WILD WEST
Fighting climate change & Enhancing biodiversity
This is a blueprint nature regeneration project; on this farm we have optimised habitat, biodiversity and species enhancement by changing farming and land use. We have thoroughly surveyed species since 2019 and have unprecedented, professional data to back up the fantastic biodiversity improvements.
Our Aim
Help reduce climate change by enhancing biodiversity, share the animals and farm for wellbeing and education.
Our Brief
A unique, flagship project combining the study of regenerative farming on biodiversity with nature education, nature wellbeing and therapeutic horsemanship.
New farm land use
- Species rich wild flower meadow in the place of clover rich pasture,
- Wild scrub on a quarter of the land.
- Stopping chemicals, pesticides, fertiliser, muck spreading,
- Next steps pond mosaic & tradition orchard extension & roaming existing herbivores (Sussex cows, ponies & pigs )
Can you Help?
We are now looking for financial backing to raise money to replicate the project to create new corridors linking to rivers/SSSI woodlands/nature reserves/areas of protected land. By improving habitats that encompass large areas of land, species are protected from extinction and nature rapidly bounces back in all its kaleidoscopic glory. These actions benefit everyone, everywhere and have snow ball effects as we will illustrate via constant surveys and data collection.
Wonderful Wild West is collaborating with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, The Soil Association, Natural England, FWAG, UWE etc…
HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED?
Join our journey towards a greener future. Get involved with school trips, nature walks, stays, or therapeutic horsemanship at Wonderful Wild West. Together, let’s protect biodiversity and promote environmental stewardship for thriving nature.
The Why
Nature and wild life are struggling, Nature needs our protection in order to regenerate and thrive and we need nature for well-being and education.
We believe that the most important thing in the world today is to protect and improve biodiversity for future generations.
Wonderful Wild West was inspired by the University of the West of England Conservation Biology MA and the book ‘Wilding’ by Isabella Tree.
The What
In 2019, after much research working with experts from Natural England and University of West of England and FWAG, we designed a Higher Tier Countryside
Stewardship Scheme with the aim to increase Biodiversity on the farm (approx 120 acres) and in doing so support the adjacent 800 acres of SSI Woodland incorporating Inwoods, owned by Brian May, Avon Wild life Trusts and Jamies Farm:
The last remaining area of Selwood Forest in North Somerset/Wiltshire.
STAGE FARM CHANGES 1: (2019)
Stop intensive farming – reducing herd size of Sussex Cows, stop the use of chemicals & muck,
Create big protected wild spaces for regeneration,
Prepare, harrow and hand sew 50% for wildflower meadow of which the UK has lost 90% and a habitat that is required for many struggling bird species,
lncrease the existing traditional orchards,
Re create missing, possibly drained and filled wetland areas , water scrapes and pond mosaic habitats
STAGE 1 FARM BASELINE SURVEYS 1:(2019/2020)
This project is measuring the carbon in the soil in each different area (meadow, scrub, orchard and comparison on farmed land that uses chemicals) alongside surveying all insects, birds, mammals, flora with a special focus on moths and butterflies, We will show how carbon sequestration is linked to biodiversity and the reversing of our culture and societies current habit of tidying up the natural landscape. We will see brambles, weeds, saplings and all the joyful thriving regeneration of nature all the while knowing the reassuring fact that this is also fixing precious carbon back into the soil.
We have collected data from detailed baseline and on going surveys by professionals and specialists of
Moths / Insects / Mammals / Birds / Butterfly’s / Carbon / Plants
The How
This farm is a higher tier conservation stewardship farm, we have made changes everywhere to help nature
We have worked to enter schemes and relationships with established organisations to move this forward.
Wiltshiore Wildlife trust, Natural England (RPA & DEFRA), Soil association, University of West of England, Bristol Avon Catchment Project and Entrade, FWAG, and advise from NSELA, Soil Association.
In addition to this nature regeneration project, we believe that one of the keys to unlock far reaching positive impacts on biodiversity is educating people about nature and enabling more connections between people and nature. We especially want to educate and connect young people who have their long lives ahead of them to do good.
The Who
Inpire me…. I am inspired
People and projects doing amazing things that inspire hope and energy
Gerald Durrell & Durrell Foundation, David Attenborough (of course), Anne and Anders Povlsen’s Wildland, Heal Somerset, Ben Goldsmith, Benedict Macdonald, Alistair Driver’s Rewilding Britain, Knepp Estate – Isabella Tree, Charlie Burrell and Ted Green… Kiss The Ground, Guns steels and Steel
The When
The sooner the better, now is not soon enough…
There is a wonderful story at the end of THE GOLDEN MOLE by KATHERIN RUNDELL which illustrates beautifully the overdue interaction we need to make with our natural world to protect and heal the damage by humans and to reverse the impacts that are destined to cause problems let alone destroy the beauty we enjoy… please find and read this…
The Future
Next steps for Wonderful Wild West
1.3 ponds 25m x 40m approx & many water scrapes
2. More land elsewhere overseen by nature guardians and experts to make good and balance the interference human development has on our natural world balance…
3. Re introducing wild cat, pine Martin, red squirrel, dormice, beaver (if we reach the river) ……and of course one day Wolves….Also bird species aiming towards supporting all bird populations that have been and are being decimated by humanities ignorance and destruction of the natural world.
4. Farm cluster with Haugh Farm Conservation – hoping to reach the river, improving and supporting nature restoration on surrounding farms and woodland..
5. Changing the way herbivores live on our land in the same vein as Knepp by using no fence collars on the farms usual Sussex cattle, native ponies and pigs… mini knepp
6. ….and lots more….Dream Big …Make dreams a reality,
And another person who helps us understand the need for changing our behaviour is Isabella Tree:
The Where
Special conservation potential because adjacent to ancient SSSI Woodland
&
UNESCO World Heritage City of Bath.
Proud to be working with…
