Lessons from the Land: How the Knepp Estate Inspires our Grange Project Journey
“The story of the Knepp Estate in West Sussex has been a real inspiration for us here at the Grange Project. In her book "Wilding", Isabella Tree shares how she and her husband, Charlie Burrell, successfully transitioned their once-struggling farm into an oasis of biodiversity. Through their innovative efforts, they've turned the estate into a thriving habitat for a wide array of wildlife, created new job opportunities, and made the business profitable.”
Whilst we do not have the scale necessary to introduce free-roaming herbivores as Knepp has done, we can consider how we replicate similar natural processes on our 80 acres (how exactly do you act like a pig?). We are hopeful these efforts will help to create an environment where nature thrives. In this article, we wanted to briefly expand on three aspects of the Knepp story that have really resonated us at the start of our journey.
Firstly, the courage Isabella and Charlie showed in allowing nature to reclaim land they had previously worked so hard to control. It’s not easy to resist the dominant ideas about how gardens, farms and even wilder areas ‘should look’. For us, this has meant letting go of our urges to mow the lawn, remove the fallen branches and pull out the ‘weeds’ - nature isn’t neat.
A further inspiration from the Knepp model is how rewilding can be financially sustainable, transforming a loss-making enterprise into an economically prosperous one. Through a combination of eco-tourism, property rentals, and selling free-range meat, they've ensured the economic viability of the estate. The Grange Project must go on a similar journey to ensure it’s sustainable for us as a family in the medium to long term.
Finally, the influence that Knepp has had on so many of us and our efforts to create wilder spaces, from expansive estates to urban window boxes. If the journey of the Grange Project inspires others to make even small changes, this can add up to more significant cultural change.
As we begin our efforts - from developing our 'no dig' veg patch to realising our 'Wilder Wander' vision - we continue to be inspired by Knepp's journey. The changes they've achieved remind us of the potential we have to positively transform our landscapes and make a meaningful difference in the fight against global biodiversity loss.
While the Grange Project has its unique aspects, the fundamental objective is aligned with many others: to inspire, educate and demonstrate the potential of sustainable land practices. We are thrilled to be part of this movement and are eager to share our progress with you, hoping it sparks similar transformations in other communities.
