Recently I have been rather distracted from the Tyne Valley by another Northumbrian great river and its environs. So, I hope you will forgive me this time for telling you something of my work in Coquetdale, and the Rothbury Estate. Here, Northumberland Wildlife Trust has just taken on a large part, including Simonside, and is fundraising to secure the rest of nearly 4000ha, or 10,000 acres of land to create a national exemplar of nature restoration. But don’t worry, I’ll be back down your Tyne way very soon, in fact it’s all connected anyway, as I will explain.
This connectivity of rivers and their catchments is all part of a very large vision for nature conservation. Joining up the Rothbury estate next to the Coquet and onto the hills and farmland beyond with places like Wallington and Cragside, Hepple and sites in nearby Redesdale could amass the biggest continuous nature area in England. In a wider sense it may positively impact longer term in all river environments in Northumberland and beyond, including of course the Tyne.
Looking at Wilder Druridge, that we are developing on the coast and the ambition of Wild Kielder and College Valley and parts of the Hadrian’s wall area, you can see the start of a vast ‘Northumberland Nature axis, from the northern coast to Kielder, through the Tyne Valley and the borders and then coast to coast beyond. Nowhere else is such big thinking for nature possible.
I’ve been doing a lot of ‘future-casting’ whilst walking the Coquet and Tyne, envisaging a wide area north of the Tyne of land, stretching from Druridge, where every opportunity to enhance and blend wildlife habitats with sustainable farming is taken. Where, in its midst, a great traditional estate, has become the beating heart of nature and land restoration, alongside nature focussed farming; where over the years wildlife abundance and diversity is greatly increased and is one of the richest areas in England; a magnet for local people and visitors to see wildlife and experience wilder places. All in all, a very special nature landscape spectacle.
It would be something all Northumbrians could be truly proud of, in helping put nature back where it belongs, at the centre of a living working landscape, with a thriving rural economy and communities too. The lessons learnt there could spread into the wider farmed landscape as the so we see gains for wildlife everywhere.
That is what is about to start to happen at Rothbury.
We’ve been working behind the scenes for months to help make this happen! We have now secured a large part of it in perpetuity, and agreed to purchase the rest within 24 months. We have a giant fundraising campaign to do this and to help fund the management of the whole thing into the long term. It is a very exciting prospect indeed and already many supporters inspired by the whole vision are contributing in all sorts of ways.
Alongside the work of many other landowners and the National Park and other charitable and local private landowners the potential is staggering, a big push towards the 30% we need to help nature fully thrive. Maybe about as far as a Northumbrian golden eagle might one day fly in a day?
We want to work with partners and communities to create a national flagship of how nature and restorative farming can work together. It will still be productive, from extensive mixed grazing to local community food, but all with an emphasis on ‘nature first and friendly’ approaches.
All of that is only possible with local people involved and long-term funds available, and with local farmers and community on board. Before we do anything, we will survey and create a data bank of what’s there to inform what is possible.
We have many plans, but there is a lot of shaping and ideas to be generated around this still to be taken into consideration, community engagement will be a big part of our approach, with plenty of opportunities for people from across the county who love this area to be involved.
Local engagement will start very soon so look out for information on where and how to get involved and comment. We are fundraising from now to raise a total of £30m to guarantee this land is secured and managed as a whole for nature by October 2026, so if you think you can help can or want to donate, please contact me at Northumberland Wildlife Trust or visit our website at www.nwt.org.uk