Wimpole estate records 5,000 species despite England's driest region

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 06:38 · Archive

The National Trust's Wimpole estate in Cambridgeshire has recorded 5,242 species across its parkland, farmland, woodland and wetlands. Rare species identified include barbastelle bats, great crested newts, corn buntings, beetles, arable flowers and a pygmy ant found at only one other UK site. The estate's success is notable given that Cambridgeshire is one of England's driest and most nature-depleted counties, facing combined pressures of habitat loss and increasingly hot, dry conditions linked to climate change.

The milestone comes as the National Trust marks fifty years of managing the 2,500-acre estate. Since 2021 alone, the charity has planted 125,000 trees and created 35 hectares of woodland and 52 hectares of wood pasture, with another 77 hectares of tree planting currently being designed. David Hassall, general manager of the estate, said the number was 'remarkable in any landscape, but particularly here in Cambridgeshire'. Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation at the National Trust, said the estate 'demonstrates the value of taking a long-term approach to nature recovery' and highlighted how nature-friendly farming practices can help wildlife flourish alongside heritage conservation.

How it is being reported

• Estate records 'abundance' of wildlife despite droughtWimpole's "long-term approach to nature recovery" has seen more than 5,000 species recorded.BBC Science · 21 Oct, 06:25
• Wildlife bucks challenges with 5,000 species recorded at National Trust estateWimpole estate hosts abundant wildlife amid one of the driest and most nature depleted parts of the country, managers say.Evening Standard · 21 Oct, 00:01

In this story: Wimpole Estate · Cambridgeshire · National Trust · David Hassall · Ben McCarthy

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