What is it?

The Wilderculture Approach uses regenerative principles to design management plans for upland and marginal landscapes. Plans that make economic sense. We work alongside land owners and managers to co-create these plans.

Our methods integrate all the social, environmental and economic factors unique to each project.

Upland and marginal landscapes in Britain are mostly farmed with livestock but these landscapes would once have comprised of a far more complex mosaic of habitats than they do today. This is because herbivores can either degenerate or regenerate land, depending on how they are managed.

Here at Wilderculture, we are specialists in creating livestock grazing plans, which will rapidly stimulate regeneration at a landscape scale. In so doing, we integrate high-quality food production with ecological restoration.

Our ‘regenerative principles’ are not just applicable to upland farming, but also to conservation or rewilding projects where livestock might be used as a tool for such restoration.

In our view, the future of farming and land management is one of a far more conscious engagement with the land and an understanding of the dynamics of nature. We need to learn to think like an ecosystem and understand the role of herbivores as ecosystem engineers. Managed with regenerative principles, herbivores rapidly cycle carbon into the soil matrix, kickstarting soil life. This creates a cascade of biodiversity, and with it… productivity.

The land owners and managers we work with no longer require as many expensive inputs such as bought-in feed. They are often able to outwinter their livestock because they work towards livestock that are suitable for their environment, and winter grazing is pre-planned throughout the year.

Because our approach restores the land’s natural productivity, we also see the burgeoning of wildlife. This restoration of ecosystems increases the health of both wild and domestic species.

Livestock have available to them a far more varied diet, which stimulates health and vitality, and animals are able to self-medicate with plants, herbs and trees. Over the longer term, as the complexity of community dynamics increases in the ecosystem, ‘problem’ species become less dominant.

On our projects, we see a reduction in vets’ bills and the need for prophylactic treatment. In its place, we encourage testing for parasites and the monitoring of livestock health to ensure that it remains optimal. All of this feeds back into ecosystem complexity, as key species, such as dung beetles, return to the land.

When livestock are managed with regenerative principles, what we find below the soil surface is a highly diverse ecosystem with an ever-deepening soil-carbon matrix. This is the vast landscape scale sponge that holds water, making land far more resilient to floods and drought.

What does it involve?

In order to benefit from a highly functional  ‘whole system’, which is our end goal, several parts of our farm ecosystem need time to transition. 

Soils must become biologically active and build in natural fertility.

Plant communities need to shift to become more complex and plants must build nutrient bridges with the living soil.

Livestock must be selected for their resilient traits and suitability for the system.

Landscapes must become more complex supporting a wide diversity of habitats and wildlife. 

People need time to learn the approach, see problems differently, make decsions holistically, and build a capacity for resilience.

The communities and people with whom the management interacts need to understand the aims and objectives of the approach. 

This transition typically takes decades with many setbacks along the way. At Wilderculture however, we have developed expertise in accelerating this transition through proactive training, coaching and peer to peer support – this is delivered though the Wilderculture Approach transition package. 

Landscape-level changes will still take time, but the sooner a plan is developed and management decisions are moving you towards your goals, the sooner you will reap the rewards of whole system function.

The Wilderculture approach transition package is ideal for those who are managing or intend to manage a land base in an upland or marginal landscape.

What does it involve?

Adopting the Wilderculture Approach on your farm or estate will require a transition process that has several planning stages;  

1. Learning the principles of regeneration.
2. Designing your whole system context  – environmental, social and economic goals. 
3. Developing the habitat, grazing and animal health plans. 
4. Whole system decision-making and ongoing tailored support.
5. Developing and implementing your monitoring program.
6. Ongoing support.

We have designed a year-long transition series of training, consultancy and coaching for those serious about developing their unique Wilderculture approach. 

The transition also continues beyond the first year with guaranteed ongoing access to the resources, coaching clinics and a growing community of expertise.

Networking between projects and a sense of collaboration and support will form a big part of our offerings.

The Wilderculture approach transition series will be made up of three blocks of two day training events run at Wilder Gowbarrow (can be attended remotely via live link) accompanied by a self-led, interactive, multi media training resource to accompany each training event.

We recommend each course is attended in sequence. 

In addition to our courses we will be running visits to Wilderculture projects, guest expert sessions and weekly consultancy zoom calls for anyone who has attended at least one course.  

In addition to our Wilderculture training team below there will be specialist guest speakers invited to attend the consultancy clinics and present on certain topics.