A Vision of Co-curated Rewilding

Despite being home to ancient hedgerows and a locally significant population of brown hairstreak butterflies, the series of seven meadows spanning 42 hectares is far from reaching its ecological potential. This pioneering project, run by partners Citizen Zoo, The Community Brain and Kingston Council, has the shared vision to establish a dynamic, mixed-mosaic nature reserve that nurtures a more diverse and abundant wildlife population.

Despite its size and location along the green corridor of the Hogsmill, the site has been underperforming in terms of the wildlife it supports. After 20 years of annual hay cuts that should increase botanical diversity, the site’s plant communities have degraded since the last surveys were conducted in 2003. Additionally, while the 1000+ insects and 40+ bird species recorded sound an impressive number, this is far below what a site of this size should support. Indeed, a few decades back, the site was home to nationally rare ground-nesting birds such as skylarks and lapwing, plus increasingly scarce bullfinches.

Through innovative rewilding measures inspired by rural projects such as mixed grazing regimes, we aim to restore and enhance the site’s ecological balance while honouring its rich cultural heritage.

Our Wild Guardians

We have recruited a dedicated team of Wild Guardians to conduct daily checks on the livestock, monitoring their welfare and ensuring the security of the fence line. Should any issues arise regarding the animals’ safety or site condition, our team is set up to respond immediately.

Interested in becoming a Wild Guardian?

Register your interest by following this link. It’s a wonderful opportunity to gain hands-on rewilding experience, witness the direct impact of community-led habitat restoration, and meet a brilliant network of like-minded people. We’d love to have you on board!

Changes to the Site

Mixed Grazing Scheme

Adopting the mixed grazing methods of successful rewilding projects such as Knepp Wildland and Wild Ken Hill, we have introduced a small number of cattle to Wild Tolworth. Once the cattle have settled in, we will introduce pigs. Through their varied grazing behaviours, the cattle and pigs will improve plant diversity, aerate the soil, and create a diverse range of habitats. This will create a dynamic ecosystem within Kingston’s largest nature reserve, helping to restore ecological balance and create a healthier ecosystem for local species and people.

The livestock are managed using a two-tiered fencing system. Firstly, a physical stock fence provides a physical barrier to the surrounding area, keeping both cattle and pigs inside the Nature Reserve. Secondly, the cattle wear NoFence collars, an innovative technology that allows us to create a virtual boundary. This virtual boundary is set at approximately one metre inside the stock fence, meaning the physical fence acts as a secondary line of protection. This system ensures the cattle remain safely on site while also giving us the flexibility to manage their movement.

We are incredibly excited to have welcomed livestock back to the site and to witness the positive changes their grazing will bring. Carefully managed cattle grazing plays a crucial role in enhancing habitats, increasing plant diversity and supporting a wide range of wildlife, while also reconnecting the local community with traditional land management practices.

Thanks to years of ecological surveys, we already have robust baseline biodiversity data for the site. This will allow us to monitor changes over time and gain valuable insight into the true impact of urban rewilding in action.

Initially, six cattle will graze Tolworth Court Farm Fields, as this number provides a stable herd while keeping grazing pressure low, allowing the landscape to adapt gradually to this new mixed grazing approach.

Wetland Restoration: A new habitat for wildlife

Another key feature of the Wild Tolworth project is the restoration of a large wetland area in the Great Meadow. Historically, the Hogsmill River flowed through the north-eastern corner of the site, which acted as a floodplain for the stream. The river was straightened around the 1950s to reduce flooding in the area. This was a commonly used method of flood reduction that counterintuitively passed the risk of flooding on further downstream, as the water flows more quickly from the upper reaches to the lower reaches of the river.

Whilst redirecting the river back through the site would have been our preference, due to electrical, sewage, and gas utilities on site, this was not possible. Instead, we have mimicked the flow of the river with an enhanced wetland. By restoring this important feature, we have rejuvenated the ecological balance of the area, providing vital new habitats for local wildlife while also reconnecting the site with its historical roots. This will increase the presence of many bird species and amphibians on site.

By storing surface runoff and slowing water entering the river, the wetland will help to prevent flooding downstream. We have also improved access with a wheelchair-friendly boardwalk over the wetland, and we have plans in place to create a fully accessible route from the main entrance across the site to the boardwalk. This will give more people the chance to enjoy Wild Tolworth and experience this unique habitat up close.

The wetland restoration phase at Wild Tolworth is now complete. An impressive 4187 native wetland plants have been carefully planted across the site, marking a major milestone in the transformation of this landscape. As the seasons change, we look forward to watching the wetland establish, creating vital habitat for wildlife and a richer natural space for the community.