Rewilding: Letting nature take over

After decades of intensive farming, plowing and chemical applications, the land surrounding Knepp Castle, about an hour outside of London, was depleted. Then, the owners decided on a new approach: rewilding, allowing the land to return to its natural state. Correspondent David Pogue pays a visit to see how, in a short span of time, this land has now become one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the United Kingdom, home to an incredible variety of plants, animals, birds, and insects, many of them endangered.
‪@kneppflix2180‬
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[@Me97202]

Even in my backyard, allowing native plants to take back over has created an amazing little wildlife habitat. My yard is now full of birds, bees, butterflies and small animals.

[@dankeener3307]

Have you also added fruit trees or other edible plants garden. If we aren’t growing our own food it needs to grow somewhere else. It’s possible to do both.

[@susanr5546]

This fits so well with research done by agricultural experts in the U.S. We have damaged our soils and our habitat so badly that rewilding is a good part of the solution. I would also love to visit this wonderful place! Thanks so much for reposting this.

[@jollyjokress3852]

it takes so much time in nature to bring back soil. It is unfathomable, how we as humans think we have done something good by turning the soil into mere dirt.

[@chrisnolan7423]

There are 9 billion mouths to feed so with the USA being a top Exporter of produce if America chooses to resold then billions die. There isn't some nice way around it and if you believe a couple of billion deaths is ok you should start with your own inner circle as setting an example would be best

[@chrisnolan7423]

Rewild not resold

[@Dontleavemedimi]

See you there.

[@SteveBrant55]

Thanks for putting this back on KZbin. It was there earlier, but for some reason was taken down. It's such an important story!

[@DavidPogue]

Alas, some editor had misspelled "Knepp" when identifying the footage we got from the Knepp Estate... so we had to take the video down and re-post it with the correctly spelled name. And we lost the 100,000-view tally, too!

[@southernsass2937]

Such a great story ❤ Yes, let nature take over 🦌 🌳

[@jamesjamesnet]

So true

[@JOHNHEALY-mg2xy]

YES!

[@yasminhelenendangeredspecies]

What a Beautiful endeavor. It would be so great if this idea were to become a more popular use of the land. Bring it back to its natural state. Everything is thriving. 🍀💝🕊

[@marialongoria8774]

They have the right idea. So beautiful! I would live to visit!

[@lanialost1320]

Everyone who has the typical sterile preened garden (yard) -- big or small -- can take this approach. Have a small natural stone patio or small patch of lawn to sit on -- but surround yourself with native plantings massed together and NO chemical use. Once you see and hear all the birds, insects, grasshoppers, butterflies and other creatures abound, the calming effect on your psyche is transformative.

[@christophernixon4539]

I love following the rewilding project at Knepp! It just keeps getting better and better! The world needs more of this!

[@user-lq3dj3eo8k]

I smiled, I cried and have some hope, thank you

[@Dontleavemedimi]

We need to transform our civilization and prioritize nature above ourselves. It seems that simple but is incredibly difficult to achieve. Our children need to take up the mantle.

[@LS-kg6my]

❤❤❤❤ fantastic! This is an excellent example of good stewardship of the land. Blessings on you and your land.

[@sannefridolin]

Fascinating! What the world needs!

[@MichaelKurse]

Our old farm has old fields being taken over by the woods. It happens relatively quickly.

[@danishear6574]

I LOVE THIS STORY! Well done, David!

[@juliepayn7696]

So wonderful to start hearing this getting back to nature as we should. I totally support and live it myself.

[@gramo63]

This guy is unique! He could run for King -- and I'd vote for him! Thank you, my dear Baronet -- this video made my day. Let us hope a few million people see it and follow your example.

[@davidsivills3599]

What a fantastic place.

[@sandrabarnett1499]

Amazing story

[@clavergoose]

I have read their book, titled Rewilding. it took nearly 20 years to accomplish this and it is still ongoing.

[@luispardo4091]

awesome

[@cindysmith6833]

I cannot tell you how much this pleases me I often watch lotta documentaries and when I say Britain in one on like where are all the trees, so I’m particularly pleased. Thank you for rewilding. ❤

[@dankeener3307]

I love this rewilding and have reduced our lawn by more than half by adding native plants to support pollinators and birds. Along with that I’m growing some of our own food because if it doesn’t grow here it needs to grow somewhere else. It’s been interesting and challenging creating this balance. Thx for the video.

[@claires9100]

Thank you for this glimmer of hope

[@laurawoodford1225]

Thank you so much I really support your efforts!!!

[@debbralehrman5957]

Love this story.❤❤❤

[@nacarreira777]

I love, love, love this idea!!!! Bravo!

[@joanneferguson8636]

Thank you! Such a wonderful idea and video!

[@AlexGarcia-hs5ek]

Beautiful

[@user-ze4vl9cy3r]

I love nature. My mother's former office mate is a big fan of Cheryl Strayed.

[@hlnbee]

Beautiful story!

[@SunnyIlha]

Just FABULOUS.

[@sandraross4770]

Wow..this is amazing and wonderful ❤❤❤

[@vivalaleta]

Love this.

[@TheL0wner]

best part is that he had to object to the notion of his ancestor calling him dude.

[@Bluefire42156]

Great, this should happen everywhere

[@deborahparnell8862]

Great job..ty..xoxo 🥰✌🖐🤟👍🤪

[@paulak-obscurefire9661]

Great story🌳

[@davekramer4266]

I have said in the Past here in the USA, that instead of Metal fencing, Use Trees, and other Greenery as the Property Fencing.🤔😁....

[@ne270]

We mostly have either hedgerows or dry stone walls in the uk

[@daveroush4896]

This is awesome. I’m working on rewilding my front yard, though only have a few hundred square feet!

[@Hubris030]

Shout out to whoever decided to repost this!

[@kunfang]

❤

[@granitestater1029]

Bravo!❤

[@douglasskinner6348]

Very nice!

[@b_uppy]

A better form is called RESTORATIVE ag. It still produces food, promotes localism, avoids the problems of conventional ag while providing habitat for wildlife.

[@commonsense9119]

ALELUIA!!!!! SOMETHING POSITIVE!!!!! FINALLY

[@melaniamonicacraciun9900]

Human specie evolve...after the excessive industrial development, the most precious asset is turning back to natural beauties, managing such fortune with a different approach, wish them all villages on our planet become a natural park of a kind, a community like a castle's staff managing the local resources and building up the perfect habitat in perfect harmony with the environment

[@stevendaniel8126]

Brilliant !! This should be encouraged around the world.....

[@dominicherrera4610]

❤ awesome

[@effiemooney8477]

God bless you, this s sooo what is meant to be done, TY!!

[@imianco8079]

what a cool finding by this couple driven by passion & obligation.. loved this story.. a needed solution that is simple & highly functional .. & i am still laughing here dude!!

[@mmps18]

Love positive news like this, thank you

[@plankface]

Genius 💚💚💚

[@SeaTurtle515]

Awesome!🌿🐝🦅🌸🐞🦊🐸🐴🐣🐛

[@normabrien8331]

I love the story. Thank you dude.

[@jonsutherland1]

Excellent....."dude"

[@teridelnero9606]

How refreshing! Thank you for your conservation!

[@alvarogarciavillar7931]

What a wonderful and inspiring proyect, exelent job, congratulations.

[@jamess.2649]

Just so amazing thank you For doing this rewilding

[@kaiyaom2195]

So nice to see all those animals

[@sgrvtl7183]

Absolutely Wonderful❗BRAVO‼💛💚

[@RobertSaxy]

As I kid till now, a bigger wider older old kid (40), I would dream of making it big and just buying land to let nature do its thing. Unfortunately for both mayor and myself I have not gotten rich yet

[@deborahalexzander2512]

YEAH!!! FOR THE ANIMALS AND THE OWNERS AND VISITORS CREATE "BETTER" $$$ WHAT A WIN, WIN!

[@markcampbell7577]

The look of a healed landscape. It used to be good farming practice to let the farm or field go to seed a couple of years fallow . This became crop rotation but ignored diversity and increased herbicide use and loss of motility of gametes in all species while eroding the atmosphere. Fallow or wilding or crop burning is the better solution.

[@ecclairmayo4153]

When leaving nature alone becomes a novel idea, you know we've become the villian. Its sad to see

[@jeanneblondewomanstamping9788]

This is such a fantastic concept, but a luxury most landowners could never afford. How was this feasible money wise for these folks? They were already in debt before they made this decision, and it must have taken many years before the land "rewilded" enough for eco-tourism to become viable.

[@RussTillling]

They used new eco-stewardship grants, sold their dairy equipment and rented-out their barns as offices. Elizabeth's first book "Wilding" is a fantastic read!

[@blackthornsloe8049]

We are rewilding our two acres . It is stunning what a single year can do for land . Evening primrose as tall as we are . Tenfold native pollinators . The peace of wind in the waving grass , the finches eating the seeds of what used to be grass . Twenty to thirty baby trees have come up . Nature is so much smarter than we are . We live on a single , blue collar income . It takes no money .

[@markhasenour12]

Lots of BS in the video and the comments...

[@blackthornsloe8049]

@@markhasenour12 yeah . Better go away so you can feel better .

[@christophernixon4539]

@@markhasenour12 ​ How so? The proof is in the pudding. Going from bare dirt/mud to a thriving landscape with creatures now living there that were/are rare in all of Great Britain and even some that were extirpated from Great Britain, and having turning loss into profit, there is nothing but improvement. Have a better day.

[@savethebeesplantherbs8809]

This is the real England not the one forced upon her let life flourish let our blessed England breath again

[@GR-ji9fw]

Beautiful. Good for them.

[@YY4Me133]

@1:56 "...plants, animals, birds, and insects." Birds and insects _are_ animals.

[@hullshores]

Thank you for this awakening in reference to rewinding. I will share with friends and family. 🌳🦌

[@flynnrider4354]

I laughed so hard when he said 18th Century brain 😂😂😂😂😂

[@martyminus90]

This is a great video. But should need some map graphics to shiw the scale.

[@fowleheidi482]

Priceless!

[@cindythomas5895]

This so fantastic!!! Amazing

[@user-ru3jr3vi7m]

Thank you! Such a wonderful idea and video!. What a wonderful and inspiring proyect, exelent job, congratulations..

[@keithgreenan7300]

I would like to see them rewild new York city

[@CatsPajamas23]

👍

[@JK-br1mu]

Amazing how resilient Naytcha is.

[@commonsense9119]

Let’s rewild LETS REWILD THE WORLD AGAIN !!!!

[@davidholaday2817]

I’m pretty sure he would’ve said “dude.” That is the translation of what he would’ve said that day into the modern vernacular.

[@cbfarber5064]

If only more countries would take this as a serious solution to land improvement!

[@isheetampancholi4197]

'Dude' 😃

[@unclefreddieDied]

Mo!!!!

[@andrewpierce1588]

Back to Eden gardening.

[@windsonghillranch4306]

Anyone with a small bit of land can help. Plant native trees and bushes and wildflowers. Stop mowing and spraying every inch of the yard. Even a small portion of your property will help.

[@winterlane2247]

Love this!! Showers praise on our Creator!

[@timeenoughforart]

Corridors! We have a freeway system for cars, but not for nature.

[@ADVENTURESOFBZ]

Rewilding=Doing absolutely nothing 😂😂😂😂. Now that being said, I love it!!! I'm all for nature, I'm all for less to no progression. Absolutely let it be!! Love it

[@whatabouttheearth]

Rewinding is moreso about reversing the effects of human civilization, a basic component also entails getting rid of invasive species, there are two types of introduced species, invasive and non invasive, invasive generally have no natural predators so they mess up eco systems, Florida has over 500 invasive species including Rhesus macaques, Vervet monkeys and Burmese pythons, and it's a big problem. The way I picture a rewilded society is sort of like human society living like Ewoks, or Hobits with technology. We need to do something, we humans are very destructive

[@corywalker9498]

Beautiful nature. But the truth is they have just shifted things. Farms in America and west Europe are becoming rewild and real estate. And Congo,amazon rainforest in Asia are becoming new farms 😢sad

I wish there were subtitles in other languages...So important.

[@benjaiboy]

praise goddess

[@stevespalding5095]

Well done! We all need natural healing for health and spirit. Green space clears the air and brain. Let's get wild and party on.

[@robertlloyd122]

What predators are at work on this site, though? What are the checks on the large mammal numbers?

[@hunterhq295]

Hope for more success stories

[@davidpak271]

Pleas give credit to masanobu fukouka

[@eliletts8149]

I wonder if they will eventually be able to house Eurasian bison in their estate?

[@commonsense9119]

WHAT AN INCREDIBLE STORY!!!!!

[@sixtynine2856]

It's just a joke but this was a brilliant way to finesse your way out of hard labor from generational family work ethic.

[@timexyemerald6290]

I mean. If its this much better than grinding your brains out for competing with modern mega farms. This is check mate in my book

[@JakeLuke308]

Normally I would cringe at the idea of cattle being involved in rewilding. However, that's their natural habitat, so there you go. Keep it up.

[@pxn748]

And pigs, here in the US wild pigs are very destructive!

[@jame950]

"New idea" haha

[@krazedvintagemodel]

Anyone recognize the horses' breed? Don't they look like Przewalski horses which are extinct in the wild?

[@paulm2467]

Exmoor ponies, they are the remains of a primitive breed thought to be over 50,000 years old and are severely endangered, Knepp has two herds totalling around 30 horses.