Nature recovery measures do work — this is the overriding conclusion of a new report into conservation measures taken on a major estate in the Eden area.
The State of Nature at Lowther 2024 is a detailed account of the conservation work carried out on the estate over the past five years — particularly over around 7,400 acres in the Lowther Valley.
Compiled by Lowther’s ecologist, Elizabeth Ogilvie, and other members of a 12-strong nature recovery team, it shows that a complete change in the way land is managed is having an huge impact on both the diversity and abundance of flora and fauna.
Lee Schofield, the nature recovery lead at Lowther, said: “Jim Lowther’s radical new farming and land management policy has produced some truly astonishing results — this is in no small part thanks to productive collaborations with a host of local and national partners.
“Working hand in hand with the RSPB, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Eden Rivers Trust, Natural England, Environment Agency and many others, we are seeing life returning to the land with incredible speed. The combined efforts of skilled excavator operators and a pair of reintroduced beavers has led to the restoration of invaluable wetlands — this has led to a surge in the numbers of breeding lapwings.
“Installing new bird boxes, alongside the planting of tens of thousands of trees, has encouraged pied flycatchers, not seen on the estate for 20 years, to return.
“With the support of Cumbria Connect, a new nursery was created where 15,000 wild flower plugs were lovingly tended by staff and volunteers and sent out to re-flower the landscape.
“Undoing the harm done over the course of centuries to our natural environment will be a very long game but we are off to a strong start. We hope this report will provide encouragement to all and show that by working with others and by putting nature first, remarkable recovery can be achieved.”
There has been some criticism of the Lowther conservation project, including over its impact on farmers who were tenants on the land and food production, with livestock numbers greatly reduced.
However, the report details many benefits of the work, including the planting of 65,000 trees, removal of 75km of fencing and creation of 37 acres of wetland.
