At Wild Neroche, we are putting nature back in control.
We are working with expert partners and the landscape itself to restore fully functioning ecosystems, creating a richer and wilder place for nature to thrive.
Our ambition is for Neroche to flourish beyond our lifetime as a landscape defined by water, with woodland evolving successfully to our changing climate and new pests and diseases. Havens for invertebrates, mosses, and liverworts will be abundant, with thriving communities of lichen and fungi. Neroche’s ecosystems will be dynamic and biodiverse places where wildlife moves freely through varied habitats.
Neroche in the Blackdown Hills
Wild Neroche encompasses around 860 hectares of varied habitat along the northern edge of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape in Somerset. This ancient landscape dates back at least 1,000 years. It includes deciduous and ancient woodland, wood pasture, significant numbers of ancient and veteran trees, wet heathland, mire and marshy grassland, as well as 20th century conifer plantations.
The Wild Neroche project follows in the footsteps of the Neroche Landscape Partnership Scheme (NLPS) which ran between 2006-2011.
Pioneering technology
At Wild Neroche, we are using the latest monitoring and survey technology to understand the ecology of the land we manage. Data gathering and deep analysis are providing more detail than ever before about what species and natural processes are present. We are also learning which natural processes aren’t working fully, and where processes are missing from the ecosystem.
This research is telling us how we can help the landscape to function more healthily and, eventually, with minimal human intervention. We will work to restore missing processes, such as diverse grazing and complex fungal networks. We will speed up the development of natural processes that need a helping hand, such as increasing structural diversity in our woodlands and reconnecting watercourses. Where a natural process can’t take place on its own, we will replicate it. For instance, we may carry out deer management to replace the role of extinct predators.
Embracing uncertainty
Through our surveys and research, we are letting nature show us how Wild Neroche can function at its best. This means that we don’t know exactly how Wild Neroche will change over time or how it will look in future. This uncertainty is an exciting part of allowing natural processes to shape the landscape in the years ahead. We are confident that, whatever happens, Wild Neroche will become more nature-rich, with benefits for our neighbouring landscapes too.
Key work areas
The first years of the Wild Neroche project will focus on supporting several types of natural processes.
We will increase the diversity of our forests to include more variety of tree species, tree age, and woodland structure, to shape forests that support great biodiversity. We will deepen our understanding of Neroche’s ancient woodlands to help us restore its plantations of ancient woodland more quickly. We aim to restore wetlands and watercourses across the project area, creating a more connected network of wetland habitat.
We will explore the recovery of species which can have a disproportionately positive effect on ecosystem function, such as beavers and pine marten. We will improve our understanding of species in the Neroche landscape that depend specifically on carrion (decaying animal matter) and explore how we can meet their needs. We will also investigate the impact of invasive non-native species (INNS) at Wild Neroche. We will use grazing by suitable livestock to mimic the behaviour that would have happened as now-extinct large mammals, such as aurochs, moved through the ancient landscape.
Supported by Tesco
Since 2024, Wild Neroche has been supported by the Tesco Nature Programme. Our partnership with Tesco has enabled us to:
- Increase the quantity and quality of data collected on the range and abundance of species across the Neroche landscape
- Trial fence-free cattle grazing to help improve the condition of the Ruttersleigh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
- Create content and events to share the project ambition with local communities and stakeholders
Beyond our borders
By working with Tesco, we can deliver more for nature. We are able to expand our impact into the surrounding Blackdown Hills landscape, a rich agricultural area and key food sourcing region. With Tesco’s support, we have brought on board a Land Management Advisor who is helping neighbouring farmers and land managers identify opportunities to access funding and implement nature-friendly changes on their land.
Connecting productive farmland with wild areas, like Neroche, demonstrates new ways of working that support Tesco’s Nature Programme ambitions to help suppliers around the world make positive changes to benefit nature, their businesses, and the resilience of food supply chains.
If you have any questions about our work at Wild Neroche, or to speak to a member of the team about how we can support your organisation’s environmental goals, please contact us.