Farmers are set to play a central role in one of the UK’s most ambitious nature recovery projects, as Sir David Attenborough lends his support to a £30 million appeal to buy and restore the historic Rothbury Estate in Northumberland.
Now in his hundredth year, the renowned naturalist is backing the Wildlife Trusts’ Rothbury Appeal, urging public support to help raise the remaining funds needed within the next 12 months.
More than £8 million has already been pledged, with donations ranging from £5 to £5 million. At 9,500 acres, the estate — roughly the size of Athens — is the largest tract of land to be offered for sale in England in decades.
It lies in the uplands of Northumberland, an area shaped by generations of farmers, and is seen as a unique opportunity to demonstrate how farming, conservation, tourism and education can work hand in hand.
Sir David described the estate as a “huge, heart-shaped expanse of moorland, rivers, forest and upland in Northumberland” that urgently needs protection.
“People know and love the Simonside Hills that rise here,” he said. “They walk the ridges and listen for the calls of the curlew… They watch for red squirrels and admire the views as they scramble among the crags.”
He praised the Wildlife Trusts’ plans to work alongside local farmers and rural communities to “breathe new life into its precious wildlife habitats,” calling on the public to “help us make this vision a reality.”
The Rothbury Estate lies at the heart of a 40-mile nature corridor stretching from the north-east coast of England to the Scottish border, making it a vital landscape for both farming and biodiversity.
Its restoration could benefit species such as curlew, pine marten, beaver and golden eagle, while supporting sustainable agriculture and boosting rural livelihoods.
Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, said Sir David’s backing had come at a critical moment. “We’re extremely grateful to Sir David for championing the Rothbury Appeal at such a vital time for nature recovery in the UK,” he said.
“This opportunity is extraordinary, but so is the threat. If The Wildlife Trusts fail to acquire the Rothbury Estate in its entirety by autumn 2026, it is likely it will be broken up into separate landholdings, with many planted with non-native conifers for commercial forestry.”
The appeal has also been boosted by a £250,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which will help fund early research into the estate’s wildlife, heritage and land management potential.
The Wildlife Trusts and Northumberland Wildlife Trust have one year left to raise the full £30 million to secure the estate in its entirety.
If successful, the project will bring farmers and conservationists together in what could become a blueprint for large-scale, farmer-led nature recovery across the UK.
