Investment fund backs rewilding project on North Yorkshire estate
9 reported
An investment fund called Rebalance Earth is funding a rewilding project on the 1,100-hectare Broughton Sanctuary estate near Skipton in North Yorkshire. The estate, owned by the Tempest family for nearly 1,000 years, has already planted 330,000 trees in the past five years and seen otters and curlews return. The new funding, described as “a few million” by Rebalance Earth co-founder Rob Gardner, will allow rewilding across about 700 hectares of the estate. Plans include felling spruce trees, planting native species, and introducing Iron Age pigs and Dales ponies to break up compacted soil. The estate will generate income from nature credits, biodiversity net gain units, and carbon credits. Rebalance Earth’s backer, the West Yorkshire Pension Fund, has invested £25m in the company.
What’s reported
The Broughton Sanctuary estate covers 1,100 hectares (2,500 acres) near Skipton, North Yorkshire.
The estate has been owned by the Tempest family for almost 1,000 years; current custodian Roger Tempest is the 32nd generation.
330,000 trees have been planted in the past five years, and otters and curlews have returned.
A pair of beavers introduced last April have had a second litter.
Rebalance Earth’s funding is described as “a few million” by co-founder Rob Gardner.
The rewilding will cover about two-thirds of the estate (700 hectares).
Plans include felling spruce trees, planting native species, and introducing Iron Age pigs and Dales ponies.
The estate will generate income from nature credits, biodiversity net gain (BNG) units, and carbon credits.
The West Yorkshire Pension Fund has invested £25m in Rebalance Earth.
Key figures
Rob Gardner: co-founder and chief executive of Rebalance Earth
Roger Tempest: current custodian of the Broughton Sanctuary estate
Kelly Hollick: nature recovery manager at Broughton
Alastair Driver: former director of Rewilding Britain, involved with Broughton for several years
Sources: The Guardian
