Three farmers in East Anglia have launched a radical rewilding initiative called WildEast, aiming to return an area the size of Dorset to nature. The scheme encourages farmers, councils, businesses, and individuals to pledge 20% of their land to wildlife over the next 50 years, with a target of 250,000 hectares.
Founders Hugh Somerleyton, Argus Hardy, and Olly Birkbeck, who farm over 3,200 hectares in Suffolk and Norfolk, hope to reintroduce extinct species such as lynx, pelicans, and beavers. They also champion regenerative farming to restore soil health and create an accreditation system for wildlife-friendly farmers.
Lord Somerleyton said the old EU subsidy system paid farmers to give about 4% of land to wildlife, while the new post-Brexit system could support 10%. However, he believes farmers must reverse biodiversity losses without relying on subsidies. “We want to wake up the regional collective consciousness,” he said.
Argus Hardy stressed that WildEast is not about blaming farmers but about broader societal change, including consumer choices. “It’s not rewilding, it’s making things wilder,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to visit a nature reserve, we want you to live in one.”
The initiative has already gained support from farmers, vicars, teachers, and industrial estate owners across East Anglia. Somerleyton acknowledged that smaller farmers may face challenges but said a region-wide accreditation system could help.
