Boothby Wildland
Description
Explore Boothby Wildland through a range of guided experiences to suit different interests and ages. Choose from immersive rewilding walks that showcase restored rivers, wildflower meadows and long-term nature recovery, or opt for dedicated beaver enclosure tours and family-friendly trails exploring England’s largest beaver reintroduction site. Each option offers a unique way to learn about rewilding, wildlife and the role of nature in restoring healthy ecosystems. Location: Boothby Wildland, Boothby Pagnell, Lincolnshire, NG33 4DE - Nearest station which is Grantham - 15 mins by car.
Certifications
Soil Association Approved
Nature Finance Certification Alliance
Boothby Wildland is Part of the Ecoswap Gift Card
About Boothby
Boothby Wildland, purchased by Nattergal in December 2021, is a 617 hectare former arable farm in Lincolnshire, with variable Grade 3 soil types. Following lessons learnt from Knepp in Sussex, Boothby is now being led by Nature – and supported by a local rewilding team.
The story so far…
Over the course of three years, and following local consultation, the Boothby team has completed a phased retreat from arable farming, gradually removing fields from intensive cereal production. Our last harvest was in September 2024, with just a single farmed-field retained to provide a scientific comparison.
In the decade prior to our involvement, the farm had been part of a well-managed agri-environment scheme – meaning that around the edges were small species-rich hotspots of Nature waiting to burst out and colonise the depleted monoculture arable fields. Together with the variable soil types, the degraded West Glen river, and adjacent ancient woodland, Boothby provided the perfect opportunity for Nature recovery.
We are still in the early years of our rewilding journey, but it has been wonderful to witness Nature bouncing back so quickly at Boothby. Our once-arable land is now scrubbing up nicely, oak saplings are popping up in the middle of fields – and wildlife is returning.
Current Priorities
Nature is now taking the lead at Boothby – with the support of just a little human intervention.
A key focus for 2025/2026 is the restoration of the West Glen River. Over the years the river has been straightened and deepened to efficiently remove water from the farmland, contributing to problematic flooding downstream. Work is now underway to re-wiggle the river, to slow the flow and retain more water on our land. This will not only help mitigate the local flooding, but will also create a species-rich wetland habitat, providing vital biodiversity uplift.
Learn about our river restoration
Future Vision
Once natural vegetation has a good chance to re-establish (primarily through natural colonisation) free-roaming herbivores will be introduced to kickstart dynamic natural processes and drive ecosystem recovery. With natural hydrology also restored, we expect to stimulate a dynamic, functioning ecosystem.
Our Future Vision artwork shows how Boothby Wildland may change and develop over the coming years. Our ambition is to create a more complex, interesting and beneficial landscape for people and wildlife to enjoy.
