At Sandon Manor, our relationship with the surrounding landscape has changed considerably over the past few years. What was once predominantly agricultural land is gradually becoming a richer, more diverse environment where nature is being given the space and time to recover. Set in the Hertfordshire countryside, within easy reach of Cambridge, the Sandon Manor estate includes extensive areas of rewilded nature reserves alongside ancient woodland and farmland. Our approach isn't about creating a manicured version of nature. It's about allowing natural processes to return, creating and protecting habitats and encouraging greater biodiversity across the estate.
Watching the landscape change
Our Rewilding Days give us an opportunity to walk the reserves alongside the environmental advisers, surveyors and organisations involved in the project, looking at what is changing and considering what we can do next. Areas of former arable land have been allowed to regenerate, while elsewhere we're creating ponds and wetland habitats, protecting ancient woodland and encouraging indigenous trees and plants to establish naturally. We are also continuing to plant trees where appropriate, adding to the variety of habitats available to wildlife. The results aren't instant - and that's part of what makes the project so interesting. Rewilding is a long-term process. Each season brings something different, and gradually we're seeing the landscape become more varied and the biodiversity across the estate increase.
Creating habitats, not just planting trees
One of the things we've learnt through the process is that supporting nature is about much more than simply planting trees.Different species need different environments, which is why we're working to create a mosaic of habitats across the Sandon Manor estate. Grassland, scrub, ponds, wet areas, ancient woodland and newly established trees all have a role to play.Sometimes the best intervention is also knowing when not to intervene - allowing areas to develop naturally and seeing what appears.It's an ongoing process of observation, learning and adapting, and one that has become an important part of the wider Sandon Manor story.
Sharing the estate
As the nature reserves have developed, we've increasingly wanted the people who visit Sandon Manor to experience them too. Guests can walk through the estate, spend time amongst the wildflower meadows and woodland and see first-hand how land that was previously intensively farmed is changing. And this is something we're now able to share with businesses visiting Sandon Manor for an offsite stay. Teams can either make sustainability the theme of the entire retreat, or can simply incorporate time on the estate into their stay. That might mean a guided nature walk, biodiversity surveying, pond observation, habitat creation or seasonal tree planting alongside our nature recovery team. It provides a completely different change of pace from a morning spent discussing strategy or planning around a table - and gives teams an opportunity to experience and contribute to a genuine, long-term environmental project.
A little bit of Sandon Manor to take back to the office
For us, one of the most rewarding aspects of rewilding is seeing other people become interested in what's happening. A business might come to Sandon Manor primarily to hold an offsite, spend time together and make plans for the year ahead. But during their stay they can also walk through a developing nature reserve, learn why a particular habitat has been created, help plant trees or discover how biodiversity is being measured. Businesses choosing to participate in our nature recovery activities receive a sustainability impact report recording their contribution to the estate. The hope is that teams leave not only refreshed and reconnected, but perhaps with a few ideas about what supporting nature can look like in their own workplaces and communities.
Rewilding is a journey
There is still a great deal we want to do at Sandon Manor. Rewilding isn't a project with a neat finishing date; it's an evolving relationship with the land. We'll continue creating habitats, protecting our ancient woodlands, establishing ponds, planting trees and, importantly, giving nature the opportunity to do some of the work itself. And as the estate continues to change, we're looking forward to sharing that journey with the people who visit us - whether they're staying for a celebration, spending a few days with colleagues on a business offsite, or simply joining us to discover what happens when you give nature a little more room.