Wild Woodbury Project

Wild Woodbury Project

Wild Woodbury, one year on

A year into Dorset Wildlife Trust's Wild Woodbury community rewilding project at Bere Regis and the transformation witnessed on site has been incredible. Surveys have recorded an uplift in the biodiversity and abundance of species moving onto the 170 hectare site. Since the land was acquired in 2021, it has been allowed to naturally regenerate with remarkable results. 

The success of Wild Woodbury could not have been achieved without the generous donations from our supporters, so we want to say THANK YOU for making this possible!

Watch the short video below to see how your support has helped make a difference at Wild Woodbury one year on.

Dani Wilson / Wild Woodbury one year on

Wild Woodbury: England's first community rewilding project

In an ambitious bid to tackle the ecological and climate crises, Dorset Wildlife Trust acquired 170 hectares of land in 2021 for a large-scale community rewilding project near Bere Regis. 

With plans to rewild 150 hectares of the land – including 11 hectares of new naturally regenerated woodland, 30 hectares of new wetland and to extend access for the local community, our first job was to carry out vital baseline monitoring, wildlife surveys and feasibility studies in order to measure the effects of letting nature take the lead over time. Rewilding and rewetting the site will help create a wilder Dorset by cleaning water, storing carbon and developing new wildlife habitats – and our aim is to share what we learn with others, making the site a model for future positive change in land use. 

With your help, Wild Woodbury can make history in Dorset, and beyond.

The vision 

The word rewilding can mean different things to different people, so what do we mean by it? Rewilding doesn’t mean abandoning the land and doing nothing. By restoring natural processes and grazing across a large area, we can minimize human intervention and create an incredibly sustainable and beneficial method of cleaning water, restoring soils and creating an ever-changing haven for people and wildlife. By getting the balance right we can create a dynamic, healthy ecosystem.

The site 

Wild Woodbury is located on the doorstep of the vibrant community of Bere Regis and we have involved the community at every stage of the project so far, from consultations on initial plans, to enlisting local volunteers to help achieve the collective vision, right through to enjoying the site’s facilities for exercise, play and food growing when the time comes.

Until now, this land has been intensively managed. By allowing nature to take the lead on site and through creating new wetlands, we expect to see a reduction in net nitrates entering the Poole Harbour catchment. 

Your support

With an ambitious vision and a large site to transform, your support is vital. By donating today, you will be helping to make more space for Dorset's wildlife, influence and inspire more sustainable land management and create a really special environmentally significant space where people and wildlife can thrive. 

Donate to the Wild Woodbury Project

£