Our is aim is to
Bringing Life Back
Allowing nature to thrive at Bog Farm.
The Wanstall family acquired Bog Farm in 2024 and immediately set to work.
The aim is to turn it into a place for Nature, Farming and Education.
Restoring the woodland to how it was
The land has been somewhat neglected over many years with the woodland completely unmanaged after the introduction of alien species, not associated with its ancient woodland footprint.
Spruce and Poplar trees were planted in the 1950’s, which at the time were in demand, the spruce for timber and the poplar for the match industry. Our intention is to remove all these species and replace with oak, beech, chestnut, alder and other species more likely seen in this environment.
Woodland rides have been cut to create more woodland edge, a valuable habitat for many species. Chestnut monocultures will be diversified and we will veteranize some trees and ensure that there is plenty of dead, fallen and standing trees. The chestnut and hazel stands will be coppiced with their timber used for fencing materials.
Rewetting the Woodland
Wet woodland will be improved and an existing water network will have new ponds created with leaky dams, to hold back water in flood events.
Getting more water into the environment acts to help all species and potentially help to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Nature out in the Open
The grassland will be restored to a mosaic of acid wildflower meadows and scrub land.
These will host cattle, sheep and occasionally pigs, all playing their part in a diverse ecosystem.
Some of the land will be cut for species rich hay and used to seed other areas of Bog and other farms.
We will track species colonisation over time and are confident that if we build the right habitats, wildlife will be quick to call Bog Farm their home.