Wilding is an engaging account of this process and contains some great nature writing. This visit catalysed a rethink by the Burrells that led to the sale of the dairy herds and farm machinery in 2000, the restoration of parkland in the area around the veteran trees in 2001 then, from 2003, the gradual cessation of arable production over the rest of the 3500 acre estate and creation of the Knepp Wildland Project. Ted pointed out that all their old oaks were in a poor condition because the land around them was being ploughed and doused with chemicals for arable production. However, by 1999 the farm was again in financial crisis when the Burrells brought in an expert on veteran trees, Ted Green, to advise them about the Knepp Oak, whose gigantic outstretched limbs seemed to be in danger of tearing the tree apart. The estate was losing money and Charlie Burrell set about trying to turn it around by becoming the best conventional farmer he could be, amalgamating dairy herds, investing in new machinery, intensifying production and diversifying into ice cream production. An author and travel writer, Isabella Tree is married to Charlie Burrell who, in 1987 inherited the Knepp Estate in West Sussex from his grandparents. Isabella Tree has even made it to being a guest on Desert Island Discs, another Radio 4 programme.
The writers of the long running Radio 4 soap opera, The Archers, have clearly read it as Ambridge (the fictional village where The Archers is set) now has a rewilding project. Everyone I know who is involved in managing land for nature conservation has been enthused by this book.
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