Northumberland Wildlife Trust stages successful wilding conference inspired by West Chevington project

Spurred on by the need to act against climate change and need for greater efforts to protect the environment, the wildlife charity gathered together over 100 academics, farmers, businesses, ecologists and conservationists at its Wilding Networks for the North Conference.

Sponsored by the Reece Foundation and chaired by BBC Look North’s Adrian Pitches, the conference was held over two days in Newcastle and its West Chevington site, near Widdrington.

The first day saw eight speakers highlighting topics and projects such as farming practices on estates, climate change, projects at Hadrian’s Wall and Wallington reserve together with the Trust’s rewilding plans for its West Chevington site and an update on its projects at Kielder and Benshaw Moor.

The conference included three question and answer sessions and a BBC Question Time style panel debate which broached diverse topics as the reintroduction of beavers and lynx to the region and government farming regulations.

Everybody in attendance was united in how inspirational and thought provoking all the speakers were and recognised there was so much to do to protect wildlife and stop the march of climate change, but also, that the region has come a long way from the days when coal when king.

The second day of the conference was a visit to the West Chevington site at Druridge Bay.

Sitting atop a former opencast coalmine, West Chevington is already showcasing how nature can recover in a manufactured landscape.

The 327-hectare piece of land was purchased at the start of 2021 thanks to a £2m donation from the Reece Foundation. There are big plans for the site including the installation of new ponds, conservation grazing of farm land, the new technique of drone mapping and the possible reintroduction of beavers, water voles and harvest mice.

Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust chief executive said: “The conference was a landmark event for us and provided a great opportunity for us to highlight our plans to make bigger better joined up places where wildlife can thrive and repopulate the land, from the city to the wild uplands.

“It was exciting and inspiring to see the extent of progress on rewilding work at the Wallington, Hepple and Middleton North Estates and at our very own West Chevington site which is already rewilding itself and where we are helping nature recover.”