Former royal hunting ground to be transformed for wildlife and people

A PROJECT using nature payments from developers aims to restore a swathe of wild landscape in sight of London’s skyline to help wildlife and people.

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Wildland, in Essex

(JONATHAN PERUGIA/ FOR NATTERGAL/ PA WIRE)

The 206-hectare (509-acre) Harold’s Park Wildland, in Essex, once the royal hunting ground of the last Saxon king Harold Godwinson, is being transformed from low grade farmland and paddocks for a 96-horse stables that used to occupy the site.

Existing ancient woodland is being revitalised, three Iron Age pigs - half wild boar, half Tamworth - are already onsite to start turning over the soil and there are plans for cattle and ponies to be introduced to help restore natural processes in the landscape, while the deer population will be managed.

Conifer plantations on the estate are being cleared, allowing native saplings space to grow, ponds will be put in during the winter and steps taken to slow the flow of water off the land and reduce flooding beyond the estate.