Project Wildfell

Wildfell Centre for Environmental Recovery

The Wildfell Centre for Environmental Recovery is the biggest landscape-scale nature-recovery project Ground Control has undertaken in its 50-year history. 

Made possible by an initial £2m Evergreen Fund investment, the transformation of this ex-arable farm is developing a habitat bank for high-integrity biodiversity net gain (BNG) units and an educational facility for nature recovery, carbon sequestration design, and long-term habitat management.

Located within the South Suffolk and North Essex Clayland National Character Area and adjacent to the River Pant, this scheme will enhance existing ancient woodland and create a complex habitat mosaic.

The BNG scheme is part of a wider environmental strategy, alongside community outreach and woodland planting, aimed at generating carbon credits.

The BNG scheme has generated 383.50 biodiversity units, comprising woodland, scrub, ponds, individual trees, orchards, grassland, and hedgerows.

Developers can secure biodiversity units for the following habitat types:

• Woodland habitats of high distinctiveness
• Heathland and shrub habitats of medium distinctiveness
• Grassland habitats of medium distinctiveness
• Lake habitats of medium to high distinctiveness
• Hedgerow habitats of high to very high distinctiveness

Use the slider below to see the impact of environmental recovery at Wildfell.