Big news for nature lovers: The Wildlife Trusts purchased a big chunk of the 9,500-acre Rothbury Estate from a royal English family to restore its natural beauty.
Owned by the Duke of Northumberland's son, the estate was previously used for fishing, shooting, and sheep farming, the Guardian reported. But under the Wildlife Trusts' care, shooting is out, and regenerative agriculture is in. The British charity network will work with locals to grow fruits and veggies and produce sustainable meats while shaping the estate's future together.
The purchase makes history as the largest land sale in England in 30 years — bringing the UK one step closer to its goal to protect 30% of its land for nature by 2030.
"The Rothbury Estate will come to play a key role in revitalizing local economies, delivering multiple societal and environmental benefits — and it'll provide the most amazing example for the rest of the country on a scale not seen before," the Wildlife Trusts' chief executive Craig Bennett said in a release.
The newly purchased land includes woodlands, riversides, and farmland home to red squirrels, bumblebees, merlins, cuckoos, red grouse, and emperor moths. Bennett envisions the area as a biodiversity hotspot, telling the Guardian, "We want Northumberland to become an amazing destination for eco-tourism."
Land trusts like this don't just protect cute critters; they help rehabilitate land, safeguard waterways, and capture carbon from the atmosphere. Trusts also improve quality of life.
For instance, in the U.S., the Kestrel Land Trust is overseeing 53 acres of land in Easthampton, Massachusetts, in a mixed-use project with 42 acres of protected green space alongside affordable housing in an effort to address the need for conservation and affordable housing in an area that can benefit from both.
The Rothbury project is just the beginning for local conservationists. The Wildlife Trusts plan to buy the rest of the Rothbury Estate over the next two years once it secures enough funding.
"We're very excited to be part of a once in a generation opportunity for securing a stunning area of countryside where people and nature can thrive side by side," Northumberland Wildlife Trust's chief executive Mike Pratt said in a release.
Northumberland county councilor Steven Bridgett told BBC he would be watching the project closely.
"Whether this benefits the local community, those that have farmed the land for generations and have put food on our tables, remains to be seen," Bridgett said. "The environment is important but just as important is food security and we can't eat bark."
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