“Weald to Waves” Report on the talk given by James Baird
The Sussex Regeneration Collective is a non government citizens project comprised of private, charitable and public body landowners who are at work on creating the conditions for nature recovery and allowing wildlife movements, through making corridors of woodlands, grasslands and wetlands and green bridges and tunnels, across a broad swath of the county. Much of this work is well advanced (Knapp Castle a prime example) with many landowners showing intent to join in.
Mr Baird used a screen presentation to show us the very many advantages of this undertaking for nature, tourism, mental health and general well-being, as well as contributing to adapting to climate change and coastal erosion. There are benefits as well to adopting farming methods which work better with nature (as we used to), improving the soil structure and essential micro organisms is being researched.
Sponsorship and grants to compensate for the change of land use is arriving via companies who see this as a method of offsetting their carbon footprints as well as enhancing their public images. Once more of this is in place there are large estates and small already agreeing with the principle and waiting to sign up.
A larger than usual audience listened attentively to this presentation and, dare we say, not a voice of dissent was heard. The level of interest was indicated by the amount of questions and Mr Baird stayed on after the meeting talking with members of the audience and our Society. The project falls within the concerns of our Society and well shall be watching out for its progress/
For those who were unable to attend recommend the following websites, also the book “Wilding; the return of nature to a British Farm” by Isabella Tree.
www.rewildingbritain.org.uk
www.wealdtowaves.co.uk