Wild Ken Hill aims to restore beavers in Snettisham
A project to return hundreds of acres of farmland back to nature at Ken Hill in Snettisham is to reintroduce important engineers – beavers.
Wild Ken Hill, went “live” in January, with the aim of rewilding 1,500 acres of land to benefit people, wildlife and the climate.
It is the largest project of its kind in East Anglia.
The land concerned is about third of the total estate, owned by Harry Buscall, whose son, Dominic, is project manager, and is passionate about conservation.
Dom is working with Natural England to bring beavers back to the area and is waiting to hear the outcome of a licence application.
Dom told the Lynn News: “We should have a response very soon. We are hoping to introduce three pairs of beavers into an enclosure at Wild Ken Hill.
“Beavers are a natural animal of the UK landscape. They are what is known as a ‘keystone species’ which create micro habitats for other species to use, such as wetland environments.
“They are eco-system engineers and encourage other species to move in, such as amphibians, birds and insects.
“Their dams can help hold up water so it doesn’t run off the land so quickly, although that’s not so relevant here, but the dams provide a natural filter so the water quality will be better.”
The site where the beavers will hopefully be introduced at Wild Ken Hill is a low-lying wet woodland, an ideal environment where there is plenty of water and acres of vegetation for food.
Plans for the site also include the introduction of ponies, cows and pigs in the future, alongside the wild deer, which already live there.
Said Dom: “About 1,000 years ago, all these animals would have been there in the wild anyway and they do a lot of important work to help the environment.
“They move around spreading seeds, helping vegetation to grow in different areas and grazing helps to maintain the landscape naturally.”
Of the 1,500 acres, 1,000 are specifically for rewilding, while the other 500 acres are freshwater marshes where there is some management intervention.
“We are aiming to raise the water levels so that we can create a better environment primarily for wading birds,” said Dom.
Although species such as oystercatchers, curlews, knot and redshank are plentiful, it is thought the marshes are not fulfilling their full potential.
So two years ago work began on designing a system which would raise the water level by about a foot, to create an even wetter environment.
Digging has been taking place to create earth bunds and channels to raise the water level and so far progress has been successful.
It’s a restoration project which has been organised by estate manager Nick Padwick, who takes care of the day-to-day activities needed to look after the site.
This has included organising the research and monitoring programme and work to rewild the woodland.
The work on the marshes is due to be completed at the end of November, allowing water to gather in the winter and remain into the breeding season.
Wild Ken Hill is named after the forested area which lies in the centre of the site and as it progresses, it will see soils recover, natural vegetation grow and biodiversity take off.
Elsewhere, rewilding has not always proved popular with farmers but it looks as if West Norfolk leads the way.
