Full Breakdown
Rewilding Restores Resilience on the Holnicote Estate
8/21/2026, 10:00:35 PM
Core Event
Aerial surveys of the National Trust’s Holnicote estate on Exmoor show that restored river corridors and wetlands have stayed green and lush throughout a summer marked by prolonged heat and drought across Somerset. The River Aller, re-engineered over the past decade to follow a more natural, multi-channel course, together with reintroduced beavers, has created “natural sponges” that retain water during dry spells and slow runoff during heavy rain, helping both wildlife and nearby farms.
Background & Context
The United Kingdom has lost more than 90 % of its wetlands in the last century, prompting the National Trust to pursue large-scale nature-based solutions. The Holnicote project aims to reverse historic drainage and river straightening, positioning wetlands as essential infrastructure for climate adaptation, flood mitigation, and water security.
Data & Statistics
- Approximately 25 wild beavers now inhabit the Aller catchment, building ponds that store water.
- The estate endured five heatwaves this summer, yet the restored wetlands remained verdant while surrounding fields turned brown.
- Species such as water voles, trout, grass snakes, green sandpipers, common cranes and white storks have been recorded returning to the area.
- Local farmer Holly Purdy reports that the wetland provides shade, water and nutritious forage for her two- to three-year-old beef shorthorn steers.
Official Statements & Responses
Harry Bowell, the National Trust’s director of land and nature, calls on the government to increase investment in nature-based flood and drought management, arguing that projects like Holnicote demonstrate how treating nature as infrastructure can make landscapes more resilient for both communities and wildlife.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Nature is providing solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing society today,” — Ben Eardley, the project manager at the Holnicote estate
- “It’s places like Holnicote where nature is showing us the way – demonstrating how, by treating and investing in nature as essential infrastructure, we can create landscapes that are more resilient to benefit communities and nature alike.” — Harry Bowell
