Knepp Estate is a pioneering rewilding project that has transformed a once heavily farmed landscape into a thriving ecosystem teeming with biodiversity. The story of Knepp began when Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree, faced with the economic and ecological unsustainability of intensive farming on their family estate in West Sussex, took a radical leap in the early 2000s. Instead of continuing to battle the land, they let nature take the lead, removing traditional agricultural constraints and introducing free-roaming animals like Tamworth pigs, Exmoor ponies, and longhorn cattle to mimic natural processes. Over time, Knepp evolved into a sanctuary where rare species, including nightingales, purple emperor butterflies, and storks, returned in astonishing numbers. What started as an act of necessity became a global model for rewilding, demonstrating that when given space and time, nature can restore itself in ways more abundant and resilient than imagined. For Charlie and Isabella, Knepp is more than a project—it’s proof that rethinking our relationship with the land can lead to both ecological and economic renewal, inspiring a shift toward a wilder, richer future.
Location
West Grinstead, United Kingdom
Website
https://knepp.co.uk/Recommended by
Florian Guillaume
