Nature
Recovery
Taking advice from Natural England and being supported by Wilder Horsham District Project & The Sussex Wildlife Trust, we are transitioning to a form of land management that focuses on Nature.
What We’re Doing At Mayes Park
Priority Habitat Wood Pasture
In January 2024 Mayes Park entered a ten-year Higher Tier Environmental Stewardship. This means from now on we will no longer be cutting our grass for hay or having any heavy machinery on the land. The land will be managed as wood pasture by grazing a small number of rare breed White Park cattle. Wood pasture replicates the landscape in which our wildlife evolved prior to human modification.
100 ACRES OF WOOD PASTURE
Wood pasture is one of Britain’s richest habitat types. Our priority habitat.
GRAZING – RARE BREED – ORGANIC
A small herd of organic White Park cattle will allow the natural regeneration of trees and scrub, negating the need to plant, whilst creating a dynamic mosaic across the land. The landscape of veteran oaks, mix of trees, deadwood, thorny scrub, water and grassland provides habitat for a host of species, often including the less common ones.
Why The Nature Focus?
The UK has had a massive 19% decline in species since 1970 with nearly 1 in 6 species (16.1%) being threatened with extinction.
“The data show that since 1970 UK species have declined by about 19% on average, and nearly 1 in 6 species (16.1%) are now threatened with extinction. We are losing familiar wildlife that we cherish including the hazel dormouse and skylark. “
Dr. Pete Brotherton, Director of Science at Natural England
It’s also becoming evident that people’s connection to nature has been declining, yet the need for wildlife and wild places is particularly important for mental health and illnesses associated with obesity or loneliness.
“If children grow up not knowing about nature and appreciating it, they will not understand it, and if they don’t understand it, they won’t protect it, and if they don’t protect it, who will?”
Sir David Attenborough
Nature Recovery Award
Mayes Park was awarded the Wilder Horsham District’s Nature Recovery Award for wet habitat restoration, with over 1.3 km of land drains being broken up and 350m removed completely. This has created a series of ponds and scrapes where the water wells up from the broken drains, which together with a series of new and restored larger ponds have completely transformed the landscape.
Our Projects
Some of the things we have been doing:
