Rewilding Beats Drought: Somerset Estate Stays Green

Aerial footage showcases the success of rewilding efforts at the National Trust's Holnicote estate in Somerset. Rivers returned to natural courses and restored wetlands have maintained lush greenery through five successive heatwaves this summer, even as nearby areas turned brown.

These nature-based solutions are providing strong evidence of resilience against drought and wildfires. Project manager Ben Eardley stated that rewilding reverses traditional land management by creating natural sponges that store water during droughts and slow flooding during heavy rainfall.

This approach not only aids wildlife recovery but also helps communities adapt to climate change impacts. The National Trust is calling for greater government investment in nature-based solutions to bolster the UK's resilience to increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

Director of land and nature Harry Bowell emphasized that climate change is a present reality, with more extreme weather predicted. He pointed to Holnicote as an example of how treating nature as essential infrastructure can create resilient landscapes beneficial to both people and wildlife.