The richly complex song of the nightingale is a scarce sound in England these days, yet not at this rural location. Back in 2020, a solitary nightingale could be heard at this hidden place in rural Surrey; lately, they were all around. “We were hearing them calling all night, from five different territories,” notes Meg Cookson, chief environmental expert for the eco-activist organization. A band of volunteers were staying overnight at the location, yet the birds were so loud, “we stayed awake all night,” remarks Layla Mapemba. “We were all worn out the next day, but it was so amazing.” An expert from the local conservation group came to help them capture and tag one of the nightingales the next morning, Cookson remembers: “He’d never held a songbird in his hands before. He was crying.”
Rewilding Progresses at the Surrey Site
Nature recovery is by its very essence a lengthy process, but in this place at Maple Farm, after just several seasons, the outcomes are already apparent, and audible. The land used to be a haven for equines. Now it’s a model for the Youngwilders’ goal: to accelerate habitat revival, in one of the most nature-depleted regions in the planet, and to link youth (18-30-year-olds) with a environment they are often denied access to, and a environmental emergency they are often powerless to halt. Climate change persists, deforestation destroys natural habitats, and another climate conference draws to a frustrating outcome in abroad – so who could fault the younger generation for wishing to take matters into their own hands?
The initiative was founded on the idea that there were individuals ready to allow a group of young idiots on to their land
“The younger generation is the best educated in terms of nature that there’s ever been,” states the Youngwilders’ leader, Jack Durant. They are also “the deeply concerned in the issues, and have added the minimal role to their creation, and, then, are also going to experience consequences the greatest as a result.”
Change of the Landscape
Now, the organisation is taking root across the United Kingdom – and Maple Farm started it all, in every sense. “It’s where we started, and the place we established our network,” says a founding member, as she gives a overview of the expansive site. “This used to be multiple separate areas,” she comments, as we move through long grass filled with shrubs, bordered by established trees. “The main visible change is that we’ve eliminated all the fencing, a significant length of it, to make it feel like a single environment.” In the warmer months, they wore protective gear and cleared masses of invasive plants, an aggressive flora that can irritate the skin. “We’ve planted many of hedgerows,” notes the director. “But the main thing is we’ve just allowed it to rest for a short time. We’ve reduced a lot of livestock impact and observed what’s sprung up.”
Low scrub and natural fences are a perfect nightingale habitat, she says, although now they’re managing some of the brambles to create a more diversity of habitats and to connect two parts of the property. Young saplings will take much more time to take root, but new growth from the adjacent woodland are already establishing themselves in the meadows; the group have been placing barriers to protect them from wildlife.
Animals Comes Back in Abundance
It’s not just the songbirds – fauna is reappearing in abundance. Recently they’ve seen reptiles, legless lizards, nocturnal mammals and insects, says another co-director, as he uncovers one of their survey equipment (like a doormat over a indentation in the ground). “You find snakes and things residing under there, but it’s likely a bit cool for them now.” Wild homes, built using carved parts of tree trunk and buzzing with wild bees, are strapped to some of the woodland. The removal of livestock has allowed insects opportunity to flourish in the meadows. When they explored this season, comments Bennett, “I’d not ever observed so numerous insects. There were just swarms of them. We were saying, ‘What is going on?’”
Origins of the Project
The original founders – Bennett, Durant, Easton and additional members – united as learners, studying or having an passion in environmental science. In that year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was predicting that the target of 1.5C of warming was looking out of reach, the activist was spearheading the school strikes for eco-awareness, and activist a speaker was discussing youth experiencing “climate anxiety”. It was also the time of the author's publication, on rewilding, on how they revitalized the a Sussex location from a struggling agricultural business into a thriving wildlife haven. “We were highly motivated by the example, but what was the role for the next generation?” asks Molly. “So we made a platform and contacted many of wildlife trusts and were like, ‘Do you sometimes get your estate holders wanting to do something and you lack time?’”
Durant adds the story: “Our entire initiative was fundamentally based on the belief that there were individuals who were prepared to allow a bunch of young idiots on to their estate freely, to take major choices that would impact land value
