Natural process-led conservation approaches are used more widely to support functioning ecosystems and shape an ever-changing landscape.
This priority is about focusing on restoring natural processes as the end goal, rather than a specific habitat or mosaic of habitats. Properly functioning natural processes will result in more dynamic habitats, which many wildlife species will benefit from, and will allow transition zones to develop as one habitat changes into another. This is known as a kaleidoscope model, as opposed to a mosaic model of fixed habitat patches in the landscape. Enabling this landscape change is likely to require larger areas and sufficient time to work effectively, and some species and habitats will still require targeted interventions. 

Understanding of the geology in an area is essential to inform what natural processes are, or could be, active there.

Nature recovery in action

The Wild Woodbury Nature Recovery Project at Bere Regis is an innovative conservation initiative led by Dorset Wildlife Trust, aimed at transforming former agricultural land into a thriving wildlife habitat. 

Spanning over 150 hectares, this area focuses on rewilding by restoring natural processes, enhancing biodiversity, and creating a mosaic of different habitats including woodlands, wetlands, and grasslands. One of the natural processes in this project is using domestic cattle, ponies and pigs to graze the land to copy the natural grazing patterns of extinct wild animals.

By allowing nature to take the lead, the site encourages the return of native species such as birds, insects and other wildlife, fostering a more resilient ecosystem. The project also engages the local community, offering opportunities for education and involvement in habitat restoration and sustainable land management practices. 
Wild Woodbury represents a significant step in tackling biodiversity loss while addressing climate change through nature-based solutions.
Wild Woodbury landscape
Photo credit: Roger Bates

Potential activities

See what activities people can carry out to help achieve this priority. You can view them all, or just look at the one most relevant to you. These activities are a guide and are not exhaustive, as there are many small activities involved in habitat management and restoring ecosystems.

The activities and Dorset’s nature recovery maps provide a starting point, but additional land management and ecological advice will often be needed to support activities on individual sites. 

Explore by sector

Select the sector you're interested in to see the relevant activities for this priority.

Explore all potential activities

Listed here are all the potential activities for this priority:
  • allow water to flow naturally across the landscape, for example, re-meander straightened rivers, stage zero river restoration, restore small flushes and ponds, and recreate wet areas within other habitats like grassland, woodland and heathland
  • allow trees and woodlands to establish through natural colonisation where seed sources are present or through succession, rather than planting
  • using an integrated pest management approach with grazing animals, for example, allow dung beetles to help tackle parasites and fertilise and aerate the soil
  • use informed naturalistic or rotational grazing management to mimic natural grazing patterns of wild herbivores
  • use browsing animals, that eat woody vegetation rather than grass, to positively impact woodland ecological condition and ensure a mixture of woodland canopy, scrub and open habitats across landscapes
  • ensure the grazing pressures of endemic deer and introduced livestock are balanced, delivering the ecological improvement of woodland, scrub and open habitats
  • rewild some areas to enable the mass recovery of ecosystems