Project

Nature recovery on the Attingham Estate

Last updated:: 03 January 2024

Cows grazing in the meadow in late summer at Attingham Park, Shropshire — Cows grazing on the Attingham Estate | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

The Attingham Estate is around 1,500 hectares and includes woodland, parkland, tenanted farms and farmland. We want to make the land that we look after better for nature, and improve access, helping people connect with nature. We’re working with our tenants to make more space for wildlife across our land to help in the fight against the decline in nature and climate change.

Woodland creation pilot at Lower Betton Farm

In winter 2024 we started planting 7 hectares of new woodland on land at Lower Betton Farm on the wider Attingham Estate – the first step towards delivering major improvements for nature by 2030.

The woodland creation, supported by funding from the Environment Agency, will harness the power of trees to lock in carbon, slow the flow of water and provide wildlife habitat. It will contribute to the National Trust's net zero and tree planting targets.

View from above of two arable fields surrounded by roads on farmland with wider views of Shropshire countryside — Drone footage of arable fields pre-woodland planting at Lower Betton Farm on the Attingham Estate | © Worker Drones UK

The planting and aftercare of the woodland uses naturalistic techniques with deer and rabbit fencing for protection rather than individual tree guards. Our farm tenanthas sown a wildflower and grass meadow beneath the trees which helps to provide groundcover to protect from the impacts of drought and encourage wildlife to flourish as we wait for the trees to grow.

The learning from this pilot is informing future woodland establishment approaches at Attingham and around the country.

View of trees with meadow in foreground at Attingham Park Shropshire — Established woodland at Attingham Park | © National Trust/Jane Gough

Our nature recovery work

November 2023

Environment Agency colleagues help plant trees at Lower Betton Farm

With species-rich meadow grass establishing underfoot, a team from the Environment Agency, who has funded the woodland establishment at Lower Betton Farm, came to help get trees in the ground. The team enjoyed a sunny morning planting over 150 trees and hearing about the plans for the woodland which has a small area of Firs and Spruces for future Attingham Christmases designed into a primarily native woodland mix including Sweet Chestnut, Common Oak and Wild Cherry.

Staff from Environment Agency planting trees in winter on land at Lower Betton Farm on the Attingham Estate. — Environment Agency staff tree planting at Lower Betton | © National Trust Images/Trevor Ray Hart

Contact us

Email

For further information or enquiries, please get in touch.

attingham@nationaltrust.org.uk

Environmental Agency is a public body sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, working to create better places for people and wildlife, and support sustainable development.

Visit website

Visitors walking along an accessible path

Article

Opening up the Attingham Estate

Attingham is full of life and locally-loved, with over 97 per cent of visitors within a 60 minute drive time of the estate, and many of those visiting regularly throughout the year.

Article

State of Nature report 2023: UK wildlife continues to decline

The State of Nature report for 2023 shows that the abundance of species in the UK has declined by 19 per cent on average since records began in 1970. But while the most important natural habitats are in poor condition, work to protect landscapes and support wildlife has clear benefits for nature, people and the climate.