David Attenborough backed rewilding appeal hit halfway mark

The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust launched a £30 million appeal to purchase the Rothbury Estate, a 15-square-mile tract of former grouse moor, woodland, farmland, streams, and rivers, with plans to boost wildlife, restore bogs, and champion nature-friendly farming.

The appeal has passed the halfway mark after a £5m donation from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, pushing the total raised so far to £16.5m.

The Trusts purchased part of the Rothbury Estate, which included the much-loved Simonside Hills, in October 2024.

The historic estate is the largest area of land to be put on sale in England in decades. It sits in the heart of what nature experts said could be a 40-mile 'wild' corridor of protected landscapes, nature reserves and wildlife-focused estates stretching from the coast to Kielder and the Scottish border.

Caudhole Moss, Simonside in the estate (Image: Duncan Hutt)

Northumberland Wildlife Trust chief executive Mike Pratt has described the purchase as a 'once-in-a-lifetime opportunity' to make a meaningful impact on nature at scale through habitat restoration and protection, rewilding, increased access to the countryside, and sustainable food production.

However, the plans prompted fresh debate after a new Fieldsports Britain video questioned whether the land needs 'saving' at all.

Critics argue the estate already supports significant wildlife under its current and recent management, and warn that large-scale rewilding or predator reintroductions could damage existing species, particularly ground-nesting birds.

Among those who raised concerns in the video was countryside writer Ian Coghill, who argued that conservation efforts should focus on 'bottom up' ecology, including plants, invertebrates and habitat management, rather than high-profile species reintroductions.

The Wildlife Trusts outlined their approach and commitment to scientific monitoring.

Alongside 'baseline surveys on every aspect of species and habitats, archaeology and geology surveys are also being undertaken, forming the basis of a long-term data bank used to inform all aspects of site management', they said.

“Whilst fundraising for the purchase of the remainder of the estate, we have been speaking to the local community and are keen to work closely with tenants, including farm tenants, to develop a long-term strategy for the estate," The Trusts said.

"This long-term strategy will aim to create a place where people and nature can thrive side by side.”

The debate comes at a time when large-scale landscape recovery projects are expanding across the UK, often attracting both strong public support and strong opposition.