Re-wilding of National Trust land
There have been too many reports of the Trust buying farmland and promptly re-wilding it, or separating a farmhouse from its land and ‘wilding’ the land. At the 2021 AGM a Trust officer boasted of a re-wetting project. Even then the United Kingdom was said to be importing around half our food. Yet food imported from abroad and processed here, such as tea, counts as ‘UK food’. When that is taken into account, the UK is only some 20–25% food secure. The Russo-Ukraine war on top of the pandemic shipping crisis must serve as a warning about food insecurity and drive us to grow and raise as much of our own food as we can. Re-wilding and re-wetting may be fashionable environmental fads, but they are surely irresponsible. The National Trust should again encourage farming on its farmland.
We reject this outdated and false dichotomy; that land should either be used to grow food or support nature. A healthy natural environment underpins food production, and high-quality food is produced from nature-rich land.
The Trust dedicates its land for the benefit of the nation, in line with its founding purpose: ‘the permanent preservation for the benefit of the nation of lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest and as regards lands for the preservation (so far as practicable) of their natural aspect features and animal and plant life.'
The UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan calls for everyone to be part of the solution. Over the next 25 years we must safeguard the environment for this generation and many more to come. The way we look after our land has a direct impact on greenhouse gas emissions and the Climate Change Commission has called for significant changes in land use across the UK. These include increasing tree cover from 13% to 18% by 2050, restoring at least 50% of upland and 5% of lowland peat, and reducing emissions from farmland.
Most National Trust land is managed or farmed in some way. Farmers have a vital role in driving many of the changes that are needed. Our priority will be to work with tenants and commoners to support nature-friendly, low-carbon approaches. We have some great examples of how this works, and some tenants who are truly pioneering in their approach.
Every place is different in ecology, landscape, existing land management practices, cultural heritage, and the needs of local communities. The best science and evidence available are used to support the decisions we make.
We recommend members vote against the resolution.
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We aim to reverse declines in wildlife on the land in our care. A thriving, healthy, natural environment will enhance our resilience to climate change and bring health benefits for people, as well as supporting our production systems, through healthy soils, abundant pollinators and natural pest control.
The Climate Change Commission has found that reaching Net Zero will require significant changes in land use across the UK, including increasing tree cover from 13% to 18% by 2050, restoring at least 50% of upland and 5% of lowland peat, and reducing emissions from farmland.
We have pledged to establish 20 million trees, restore 60% of our peatlands and become Net Zero in carbon by 2030.
We fully intend to play our part to restore nature, sequester more carbon, cherish our historic environment, create greater access to the countryside, protect communities from flooding and support nature-friendly, low-carbon farming. We manage land in ways that deliver many benefits to both people and nature.
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