The Land We Need:

With respect to “Small Pilot NPUK Projects” the land requirements are rather minimal. A five acres area for comparative growth rates for an economical viability study for new forestry crops will most likely suffice, similarly so for firewood or willow coppicing projects.

Many other pilot studies like fruit production, bee keeping, adventure sites, fish farming and the like can be utilised on plots in the less than 5 acres region. In addition many of these activities already have a track record in terms of sustainability and profitability.

A slightly larger area, in the region of 10 acres, could be utilised to combine a coppicing project with intercropping. The same size of area could also be utilised for more complex projects for example starting with firewood coppicing, offsetting the carbon footprint of cremations, and establishing a funeral pyre site. The planting of further trees as woodland burial plots could add another economical leg to the enterprise.

Combining the above mentioned activities can then take place on land surfaces in the 10s to 100s of acres region. After all many modern farmers are using principles of diversification in order to broaden their secure economical standing already.

To sensibly test an integrated agroforestry scheme one needs about 50 to 100 acres.

At this point the future depends on available money, land and the types of formerly native to Britain species one wants to reintroduce. Any species to be reintroduced must be integrated in the concept of profitability since this is the only guarantor for sustainability. As a result the area of land needed will be guided by the species to be reintroduced. The German project area for the reintroduction of a viable wisent population is about 10,000 acres, but the area is 90% forested. For wild boar a far smaller area would suffice. Considering the reintroduction of wolves, based on British climate, one probably needs a minimum of 50,000 acres. An example supporting such a statement can be found here under “Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan” .

Alas a problem regarding, for example, wolf numbers arises over time, since even such an area would possibly not allow for a sufficient gene pool to be maintained long term due to its population bottleneck. Even the application of the 50/500 rule would not suffice since certain species would never be present in sufficient numbers to allow their genetic variability to guarantee long term viability. Hence to double the surface area aimed for to 100,000 acres and accept that from time to time “new blood” needs to be introduced is advisable.

Success of the concept and growth of the project area could then lead to an initially fenced in area with the future open to options of a network of Natureparks, managed according to the Naturepark UK principles, either fenced in or open with connecting green corridors.

Whilst we accept that from the outset it seems ludicrous to aim for the purchase of such a large area of land it should still not be too unrealistic. Northern England, potentially parts of Wales or ideally Scotland would all be possible locations. One should not restrict the search for appropriate land to the Scottish Highlands or other remote rural locations since industrial wasteland or ex open cast mining areas lend themselves as well.

A private company in South Africa bought thousands of acres of farm land near Cape Town to develop partially as a residential area game park in commutable distance to the city, Gondwana Game Reserve, and the plots are selling fast. Similarly the Shamwari Game Reserve was established on overgrazed former farm land, now profitably marketing itself as a “big five” game park as well as offering conference and other facilities.

Other possibilities rest around coordinating Naturepark UK’s efforts with organisations which already hold sufficient lands, like the National Trust , the National Trust for Scotland , the Woodland Trust, the Forestry Commission or private land owners. Lease or purchase agreements as well as coordinated efforts might form valid options in future.