Dramatic new results from a rewilding scheme designed to reduce pollution levels in the Solent have been hailed as “very significant”
Specialists from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust say the scheme, which offsets the impact of new developments in the Portsmouth, Havant, Fareham, and Gosport areas, has far exceeded expectations.
The project saw 40 hectares of former farmland at Wilder Little Duxmore on the Isle of Wight, which sits on a tributary of Wootton Creek, returned to nature.
This is the before pic:
The results are the first in the UK to show such a significant decrease in soil mineral nitrogen at a rewilding project, with a drop of 47% in just under two years.
HIWWT Chief Executive Debbie Tann said:
“These are extremely encouraging results that we were just not expecting after such a short amount of time.
“This is a new realm of science for the UK as other rewilding schemes are underway, but we are the first to undertake such rigorous monitoring. These results are very significant for the fight against pollution here on the south coast.”
The Trust purchased Little Duxmore in 2020, previously an arable farm that was subject to high levels of fertiliser inputs, growing mainly maize for anaerobic digestion.
As part of the Trust's Nature-Based Solutions programme, the land has been taken out of intensive agriculture and is being rewilded, allowing nature to take the lead.
Through the provision of nitrate credits , the project is offsetting development in the Solent catchment, restoring habitat for wildlife and helping to address the issue of high nitrate pollution in the Solent.
Environmental credits, bought by developers are emerging as a new way to invest in nature’s recovery and help tackle the nature and climate emergency through nature-based solutions. The Trust’s nutrient reduction programme at Wilder Little Duxmore was one of the first in the Solent.
Environmental credits are units that can be bought or sold to offset negative impacts such as pollution or loss of biodiversity from polluting activities or development. These credits mitigate for negative impacts by allowing other land to be set aside to offset the impact e.g. through allowing natural vegetation to flourish in place of intensive agriculture such as the scheme at Wilder Little Duxmore.
The Trust has also recently taken on a second rewilding site, Wilder Nunwell, and is working closely with the Oglander Estate and Nunwell Home Farm, who graze livestock in low densities across the 140-hectare site using the principles of regenerative agriculture and nature-friendly farming.
Debbie added:
“Through the process of arable reversion, we are creating a wilder landscape, with more space for nature. As well as the incredible reduction in nitrates in the soil, our ecological surveys have recorded a wide range of species using the site, including farmland birds, a multitude of invertebrates, rare arable flora, and much more.
“And both of our Rewilding Projects are delivering wider benefits too, with more jobs now supported and – through our partnership with Nunwell Home Farm – supporting more food production on site too. We will continue to monitor species abundance and diversity as the site transitions.”
Recently a Local Rewilding Network was launched in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to bring together local landowners passionate about creating wilder, more naturally functioning landscapes across the region.
The Trust's aim is to rewild 5% of the landscape by 2030.
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