Sir David Attenborough has thanked fundraisers in the North East and further afield after a deal was sealed for conservation charities to buy the Rothbury Estate. The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust hope to restore nature across the 9,500-acre estate, linking it with other sites in Northumberland.
Fundraising success
The Estate was put up for sale three years ago by the family of the Duke of Northumberland. The Wildlife Trusts had to raise £30m to buy the land, and achieved that through a mixture of Government and lottery grants, backing from charitable foundations, but also donations from individuals and fundraising from community groups.
The fundraising appeal was boosted last year when naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough provided backing, who described the area - which includes the Simonside Hills - as a “very special place”.
Nature corridor plans
The Wildlife Trusts want to create a 40-mile wide “nature corridor” linking the Northumberland Coast to Kielder Forest through the estate, as well as stopping the land being broken up into multiple ownerships. They will focus on nature recovery and regenerative farming, with the possibility of re-introducing species such as beaver, bison and golden eagles as longer-term possibilities.
The trusts say they will work alongside local people and farmers on their plans for the estate, though concerns have been expressed locally on how the charity’s work will impact local farmers.
Reaction and support
Speaking after it was announced that the trusts announced that they had met their fundraising target, Sir David said: “The Wildlife Trusts called for your support and you answered in your thousands. The appeal to secure the future of The Rothbury Estate in Northumberland has been successful and now the opportunity to bring the vision of a landscape where nature and people thrive side by side can become a reality.
“This will be a place where nature, community, farming and heritage can combine to create something very special for generations to come. Thank you very much.”
At the weekend, the Government used the COP17 global diversity summit to announce support of nearly £2m for the scheme, saying it would help the UK reach its 30by30 target to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. Support has come from over 50 countries worldwide including Finland, Barbados, Kenya and New Zealand, as well as local groups.
Mike Pratt, chief executive of Northumberland Wildlife Trusts, said: “What a remarkable achievement. The completion of The Rothbury Estate purchase is a defining moment for Northumberland and the North East.
“Opportunities of this scale and significance are incredibly rare. By securing this extraordinary landscape, we’ve the potential to create a flagship for nature recovery supported by sustainable farming, whilst delivering lasting benefits for wildlife, local people and the rural economy for generations to come.”
Eilish McGuinness, chief executive at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “It is fantastic news that The Rothbury Estate has been successfully acquired by The Wildlife Trusts thanks to money raised by National Lottery players. By working with local communities to develop new approaches to land management, this transformational project has the potential to deliver nature recovery at a grand scale, helping to reconnect people to the unique natural and cultural heritage of this remarkable and nationally significant landscape.”
