Our living laboratory for small-scale nature recovery
We’re creating a pocket of biodiversity abundance on 37 acres of rural land in East Sussex – where an ancient woodland can expand, a food forest can take root, a wood pasture can establish, and a hay meadow can flourish.
About Us
We’re Phil and Melissa Ayres – two 50-something tech professionals with a soft spot for nature and an itch to take action in the face of environmental and climate armageddon. With no farming or environmental management experience, we’re unconventional nature stewards.
As keen hikers and gardeners, we’ve had a strong attachment to nature for decades, but completing the Embercombe Rewilding Training in early 2024 galvanised our conviction that just appreciating nature is not enough. We needed to take action – to do our part to reverse nature depletion and restore the symbiotic relationship between people and nature.
After a bit of reflection, we decided that buying and improving a plot of nature depleted land was the way to go.
We purchased 37 acres in East Sussex in late 2024 … and so began our journey to creating a living laboratory for small-scale nature recovery.
Our Land Wish List
What we hoped to buy
- Land not already nature abundant, like a nature reserve or established woodland
- Non-prime arable land; not currently growing human food
- Depleted land with the potential to become a mosaic of habitats, like sheep grazing land, (generally a grass monoculture that benefits a limited number of species)
- Between 10–50 acres, to allow experimentation and meaningful impact
Converting sheep-grazed fields into a mosaic of wildlife-friendly habitats isn’t about “letting the land go wild”. It’s about taking a measured, nature-led approach to reverse nature depletion and build climate resilience at a time when the UK’s biodiversity is at an all-time low.
About Our Land
What we bought
- 37 acres (15 hectares) in the High Weald national landscape (formerly AONB), East Sussex
- 4 fields, plus approximately 4.2 acres (1.7 hectares) of mixed broadleaf woodland
- A mix holding of previous different land uses and no buildings
- All fields are heavy clay and bordered by a combination of hedgerows, scrub, ditches, and broadleaf woodland
- Old maps show that the fields are largely the same as they were in the 1800s
Our Plan:
Create a Mosaic of Habitats
Field 1
Goal:
Agroforestry (forest garden)
- Arable field previously used for growing animal feed
- Most recently left fallow and used for sheep grazing
Field 2
Goal:
Wood Pasture
- Previously used for sheep grazing
- Least botanically diverse field
- Wooded shaw with ancient woodland markers
Field 3
Goal:
Woodland Expansion
- Previously used for sheep grazing and growing animal feed
- Bordered by ancient semi-natural woodland with hazel coppice
- Pond at woodland edge
Field 4
Goal:
Hay Meadow
- Previously managed as a hay meadow
- The most botanically diverse field
Guiding Principles
Let Nature Lead
Trust and encourage natural processes as much as possible. Lend a helping hand where it’s needed.
Take a Bottom’s up Approach
Focus on restoring the building blocks of biodiversity: soil health, flora, and invertebrates.
Experiment
Try new approaches. Appreciate that we can make informed decisions about what to do, but we can’t predict outcomes.
Limit Machinery
Do as much as possible manually to stay connected to the land.
Be Open
Welcome advice, support and different perspectives – from experts and enthusiasts alike.
