Why the National Trust is Changing How Land at Winchelsea Is Managed
The UK’s Biodiversity Crisis
The United Kingdom is in the midst of a severe biodiversity crisis. In a world that has already exceeded safe limits for nature depletion, the UK stands out as one of the countries of greatest concern. Research by the Natural History Museum in 2021 placed the UK in the bottom 10% of countries globally for biodiversity loss, making it the worst performer in the G7.
This reflects historic changes to the landscape following the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions, as well as present-day intensive farming and development. Today, over two-thirds of the UK’s land surface is used for agriculture and a further 8% is built on, leaving very limited space for natural habitats and processes.
The National Trust’s Role and Responsibility
It is therefore essential that conservation organisations which own and manage large areas of rural land take bold and urgent action to reverse biodiversity loss. The National Trust is the largest private landowner in the UK. Most of its land—around 80% (= 200,000 hectares or 490,000 acres)—is farmed either by tenants or in-hand and continues to contribute to food production.
However, the Trust is not primarily a food-production organisation. Its purpose is to care for places of historic interest or natural beauty permanently for the benefit of the nation. This aim can, and often does, go hand in hand with lower-intensity farming. The UK Government’s Food Security Report (2021) identifies climate change and environmental pressures such as soil degradation, declining water quality and biodiversity loss as the greatest medium- to long-term threats to food production. Improving environmental health therefore also supports food security in the long term.
Changes to Farming at Winchelsea
At Winchelsea, traditional livestock grazing will continue across the Trust’s land, but at much lower stocking densities. Grazing will be maintained on open pasture and parkland, particularly near the town, while further from the town—in the floodplain—there will be more naturalised grazing regimes and restored wetland features.
The cessation of arable cropping, reduced stocking densities and lower chemical inputs will lead to significant gains in biodiversity, healthier soils and reduced carbon emissions.
A Landscape Rooted in History
Much of what is proposed at Winchelsea is more traditional and better suited to its historic setting than the intensive modern farming that dominates much of the lowland countryside today. Large areas will remain as grazing pasture and coastal grazing marsh, managed with small numbers of hardy livestock to encourage more diverse grassland.
Some areas further from the town will appear ‘wilder’ than they have for many years—and richer in wildlife—but will still be carefully managed through light grazing, fencing and the maintenance of main drainage channels by the Internal Drainage Board. Across the estate, we hope that older generations of local people and visitors will begin to see the return of wildlife they remember from childhood.
Proven Conservation Management
Nature conservation, conservation grazing and addressing the impacts of modern farming are not new approaches in the UK. They have been practiced for decades, and the National Trust is one of the country’s leading conservation organisations, with extensive experience in managing land for landscape, wildlife and public enjoyment.
We recognise that different areas require different levels of naturalness and management, and we apply these approaches in a locally appropriate and carefully considered way for the benefit of both people and nature.
Benefits for Wildlife
Less intensive, sympathetically grazed grassland supports greater plant diversity and provides a wider range of feeding, breeding and over-wintering opportunities for invertebrates. Areas of scrub add further benefits, including basking sites, while varied sward structure—tall and short grass, open ground and sheltered areas—supports diverse and sometimes rarer invertebrate species. Reduced use of fertilisers and pesticides also greatly benefits wildlife, particularly aquatic invertebrates.
An increase in plant and invertebrate diversity will in turn support a richer and more abundant bird population. Reptiles and amphibians thrive in mosaics of grassland, scrub and water, while most mammals benefit from a mix of woodland, hedgerows, trees, scrub, open grassland and wetlands for feeding, breeding, movement and shelter.
Monitoring and Evidence
We are confident that these well-established management approaches will deliver substantial benefits for the local environment at Winchelsea. To ensure this, we are committing to extensive long-term monitoring of habitats and species, with results reported over time.
Public Access and Engagement
Preserving places of natural beauty for public benefit, and promoting access to them, are core charitable purposes of the National Trust. At Winchelsea, all existing public rights of way will remain, and we are introducing additional permissive paths to enhance access, while ensuring nature has the space it needs to thrive. At times, walkers may need to be kept separate from grazing livestock or directed to specific routes, as is standard practice on working farmland and nature reserves.
We will also offer occasional informative talks and guided walks to help people understand and see the results of this work firsthand.
