Knepp Estate’s rewilding since 2000 boosted wildlife dramatically, with bird, butterfly, and dragonfly populations soaring.

A rewilding project at Knepp Estate in West Sussex has led to a dramatic surge in wildlife since 2000, when conventional farming ended. Breeding bird numbers in the southern area rose 916% since 2007, with 27 species of conservation concern now nesting there, including red-listed nightingales and turtle doves. Nightingale singing males increased from nine to 62, and turtle doves from two to 22. Butterfly diversity doubled in parts of the estate, and dragonfly and damselfly numbers surged nearly 900%. Grazing animals like longhorn cattle, pigs, and ponies help maintain diverse habitats, while beavers and river restoration have created wetlands. The estate is now a key model for rewilding in the UK.