Wales' largest rewilding site revealed in Ceredigion's Cambrian Mountains

Wales’s largest rewilding site has been unveiled, with a 1,195-acre landscape in the Cambrian Mountains set to be managed for nature recovery.

The location, near Tregaron in Ceredigion, stretches across parts of the Doethïe Valley within the Elenydd, an upland area where land use and environmental management are increasingly under discussion.

The announcement follows significant fundraising progress, with organisers confirming they have already raised more than half of the £2.2m needed to purchase the land.

A philanthropic bridging loan has also been secured, allowing the site to be bought while fundraising continues.

The project is being led by Tir Natur, a registered charity aiming to create “a wilder Wales where nature and people flourish together and provide hope for future generations”.

The charity says the site could support large-scale habitat restoration, while keeping Welsh communities and culture at the centre of the project.

Covering 1,195 acres – equivalent to 121 Principality Stadiums – the land is intended to become a long-term example of how nature restoration can operate alongside rural life, rather than removing people entirely from the landscape.

Plans include the use of hardy grazing animals, which will play a role in managing vegetation and shaping habitats naturally, allowing wildlife to flourish while maintaining an active approach to land management.

However, large-scale rewilding projects remain contentious within the farming sector. Some farmers and rural stakeholders have raised concerns about land being taken out of potential food production, particularly as pressures on farm profitability and domestic supply continue.

Tir Natur said the site would become “a bold, living example of rewilding”, designed to inform and inspire further nature-led projects across Wales at a time of “unprecedented biodiversity loss”.

The project is likely to draw attention as rewilding becomes a bigger part of the rural land use conversation, with farmers across Wales weighing future choices amid changing support schemes and growing emphasis on environmental delivery.

A public crowdfunding campaign is now under way, with nearly £20,000 raised so far towards an initial £500,000 target. The first £31,250 donated will be match funded by a Community Founding Member, doubling its impact.

The charity said it was “incredibly grateful” to supporters who have helped reach what it described as a critical milestone, enabling essential rewilding and community engagement work to begin without delay.

If fully funded, Tir Natur said the land will be held permanently for nature. The scheme is expected to add momentum to ongoing discussions over the future of upland land management in Wales.