The North Yorkshire landscape at Broughton Sanctuary is undergoing a major transformation. This 1,100-hectare estate near Skipton is getting funding from the investment fund Rebalance Earth for an ongoing rewilding project.
Rebalance Earth calls itself a "natural capital asset manager." It aims to invest in nature as critical infrastructure to achieve both environmental and economic benefits.
Rob Gardner, co-founder and CEO of Rebalance Earth, says recent extreme weather highlights the need for nature restoration. He notes that people are starting to see these events as a growing trend, not just bad luck.
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Start Your News DetoxA Legacy of Land and Restoration
The Broughton Hall estate has been owned by the Tempest family for nearly 1,000 years. Roger Tempest is the 32nd generation to oversee the land. When he inherited the estate, the main house was in disrepair, and much of the land suffered from intensive farming.
Tempest renovated old agricultural buildings into a business park, now employing about 700 people. The main house and cottages were also restored. The house has even appeared in films and TV shows like A Woman of Substance and Gentleman Jack. The estate also hosts yoga retreats and has a spa.
Rob Gardner, chief executive and co-founder of investment fund Rebalance Earth. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/The Guardian
Tempest admits that while buildings were regenerated, the land was overlooked. This changed in 2021 when a nature recovery program began. It focused on restoring woodlands, wetlands, grasslands, and meadows. This coincided with two sheep farmers ending their tenancies, freeing up large areas.
In the past five years, 330,000 trees have been planted. Otters and wading birds like curlews have returned. Beavers introduced last April have built dams and lodges, changing watercourses. They recently had their second litter of kits.
Kelly Hollick, Broughton's nature recovery manager, says previous grants only funded trees. The "few million" from Rebalance Earth will allow them to "unlock the next level of rewilding" across about 700 hectares, or two-thirds of the estate.
Roger Tempest at Broughton estate in North Yorkshire. The estate, located at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, has been owned by the Tempest family for almost 1,000 years. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian
Spruce trees will be replaced with native species and shrubs to create diverse habitats. Iron age pigs and Dales ponies will graze fields, breaking up compacted earth and helping plants thrive. The estate will still produce food from its orchards, allotments, and about 60 cattle.
Investing in Nature for Economic Gain
Rebalance Earth believes transforming degraded land into thriving ecosystems can generate financial, environmental, and social returns. Rob Gardner, a former investment banker, sees money as a "force for good."
Rebalance Earth funds the restoration of large ecosystems like rivers, wetlands, and coastlines. Companies pay them for helping prevent environmental disasters such as flooding, drought, and coastal erosion, which can be costly. The West Yorkshire Pension Fund, a backer of Rebalance Earth, has invested £25 million in the company.
The main house has appeared on screen in various films and TV shows, including Channel 4’s A Woman of Substance and the BBC’s Gentleman Jack. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian
Restoring nature at Broughton will increase biodiversity and help the land hold more water, benefiting the community. The estate will also earn income from nature credits, biodiversity net gain (BNG) units, and carbon credits.
Since 2024, new building projects in England must achieve a 10% net gain in biodiversity. If developers cannot do this on-site, they can buy biodiversity units from third parties. Rebalance Earth is using this market at Broughton, with credits calculated by Ecosulis and CreditNature. Buyers include national, regional, and local businesses.
Wider Impact and Future Outlook
The climate crisis has made many in Britain more aware of flood and drought risks. Water management is a key theme in Rebalance Earth's other projects. These include creating oyster reefs off the Norfolk coast to rebuild marine ecosystems and working with farmers to "rewiggle" the River Evenlode in Oxfordshire.
Waterways are also part of the project at the Broughton Sanctuary. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian
The Evenlode, like 90% of UK rivers, was straightened by farmers in the past. This caused faster water flow, erosion, and increased flood risk downstream. The Evenlode project is bringing back the river's natural curves. This will help reduce flooding, improve soil, and boost biodiversity.
Gardner believes more people are recognizing climate risks. The Bedfordshire Pension Fund recently allocated 3% to natural capital investments to expand its climate solutions portfolio.
Alastair Driver, former director of Rewilding Britain, says Rebalance Earth's investment will help with the "difficult bit" of rewilding at Broughton. This includes holding water on the land and keeping the soil wetter for longer.
Driver notes that rewilding large areas alongside agriculture and parkland creates the biggest changes. He calls the Broughton project "one of the most significant projects in the country" due to its scale, funding, and unified land ownership.
Deep Dive & References
- The arrival of the beavers - Broughton Sanctuary, 2023
- Biodiversity net gain - Gov.uk
- Evenlode Landscape Recovery - Cotswold Farmers
- Bedfordshire Pension Fund allocates 3% to natural capital - Room151
