At the end of last month, the Tatton Estate was proud to welcome the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and guests for a guided walk, showcasing how the Estate and its tenants and farming partners are working to enhance biodiversity, improve waterways and pioneer more sustainable approaches to farming and land management.
Led by Ed Brown, our in-hand farming lead at Wildfarmed, and Annette McDonald, Managing Director of Food, Farming and the Environment, the walk offered a fascinating insight into some of the Estate’s most innovative environmental projects and partnerships.
Integrating Nature-Friendly Farming
Ed began by explaining how the Estate is blending game cover planting with wider environmental objectives across our arable farming enterprise. By choosing seed mixtures that meet both biodiversity and sporting needs and making full use of grant funding, the Estate is creating habitats that benefit nature while supporting its traditional rural economy.
The group then visited a wheat field that forms part of groundbreaking research with Wildfarmed, comparing insect diversity in regenerative wheat systems versus conventional ones. Here, Ed demonstrated two Agrisound sensors which are AI-powered devices that detect and identify insects by their wingbeats. This pioneering technology is providing vital data to demonstrate how regenerative food systems can better support biodiversity.
Woodland and Waterways: Planting for the Future
Annette led the group through the Estate’s latest riparian woodland planting scheme, which has already seen over 40,000 trees planted along the riverbanks at a landscape scale. Designed to protect fragile waterways, the scheme aims to reduce agricultural pollution, limit bank erosion, and mitigate downstream flooding through the use of leaky dams.
She also outlined how the Estate is exploring innovative funding and measurement models, including water credits in partnership with United Utilities and assessing the health and economic benefits of improved air quality from riparian planting with potential value for local businesses such as the Manchester Airport cluster.
The new woodland itself is rich in diversity, incorporating rare black poplars (planted in partnership with Chester Zoo), regenerative woodland areas for comparison studies, and newly created ponds and wetlands to boost biodiversity.
The Power of Partnerships
The walk was also a chance to celebrate the many partners and volunteers who help make this work possible. We are hugely grateful to the Birkin and Bollin Fly Fishing Club for their ongoing water sampling, to the Trafford Wildlife Group for invasive species management, and to all the volunteers who help maintain our young woodlands.
Strong collaboration with the private sector and an understanding of what drives them is proving key to unlocking the full value of natural capital across the Estate.
Looking Ahead
The walk concluded with a look at the Wildlife Estate and Farms accreditation, which the Estate is now pursuing. This will provide a framework to bring together all stakeholders from land managers and conservationists from farmers and shoots to foresters and public access groups, enabling a truly holistic, sustainable approach to managing the land.
By combining creative thinking, innovation, and strong partnerships, the Estate is proud to be taking meaningful steps towards a more resilient, nature-rich landscape for future generations to enjoy.
For more information about our food, farming and the environment projects, sign up for our newsletter or visit our Food, Farming and Environment section.
