We’re thrilled to have been nominated for an award by the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIWWT) as part of the trust’s 2025 Wilder Awards.
These annual awards seek to pay tribute to businesses, farms, schools, community groups and individuals who are helping nature thrive in this part of the country.
Here’s how HIWWT describes the awards on its website: ‘Many people across our two counties are doing remarkable work to help nature recover and create a wilder Hampshire and Isle of Wight. The Wilder Awards celebrate the achievements made by individuals, groups and organisations who are making a difference for wildlife and the environment.’
Nominations were opened up, and Ewhurst Park has been nominated for the ‘Nature Restoration Project Award’.
HIWWT told us: ‘Your dedication to protecting and restoring nature has truly inspired us, and we can’t wait to celebrate your achievements at the Wilder Conference and Awards.’
Of course, the work we are doing at Ewhurst Park – and the transformations we are witnessing – is reward enough. But, I must admit, an award is always nice! It’s great to know that what we’re doing is being recognised by our peers. We really value being a part of the wider initiative in this area to protect nature and explore sustainable ways of farming.
Moments like this provide opportunities to take stock of our work to restore a mosaic of different habitats, including grassland, scrub, wetlands, woodland, chalk grassland, wildlife corridors, hedgerows and parkland.
We’ve introduced conservation grazing with our livestock. We’ve introduced beavers back into the area for the first time in 400 years. We’ve seen the land explode with a huge variety of plants, birds, insects and small mammals. We’re helping to protect the soil and sequester carbon.
We’re creating wetlands that have become a haven for insects, attracting birds, bats, mammals, and a whole range of interesting flora. These wetlands will slow down the flow of water, filter pollutants and sediments, and seasonally hold water, all of which will benefit the environment far beyond Ewhurst Park.
We’re encouraging wildlife with the presence of log bee hives, bird boxes and bat boxes across the estate. And we’ve planted 1.5km of hedging to increase habitat connectivity, with a focus on wildlife benefits and foraging opportunities.
A thread running through all of this work has been a concern to provide opportunities for local people to re-embrace nature. We’re doing this with a variety of activities that are open to the public, including foraging days, community fairs, wellness events, schools activities, and outdoor dining events.
Ultimately, it’s all about taking care of our bodies and our communities by taking care of the food we eat, the land we live on, and the planet as a whole.
