The world isn't all about us: How re-wilding can help climate change

A farm in west Norfolk has become the latest to reverse former policies of remove hedges to create bigger fields to increase food production.

The Ken Hill Estate at Snettisham is adopting what is known as a re-wilding strategy, something which is being rapidly embraced by a number of farms across the country.

It's where farmers set aside land to create habitats for wildlife - to try to reverse the decline of many species in the UK.

There are already parts of the Ken Hill farm estate that are ideal habitats, for wildlife, including extensive woods and a lake.

But soon fields where crops have usually been grown will also be left uncultivated

The farm has embarked on a major re-wilding project.

They've called in Rod Pilcher, who is a re-wilding consultant, to help transform areas of the estate.

Until the late 1960s steam trains used to chug their way across the farmland.

The farm already includes an area of marsh land next to the Wash, but diggers have been creating banks and channels that will mean the water level can be raised on this part of the site as well.

That will create an even bigger habitat for wading birds and other wildlife.

The Ken Hill Estate is about 4,000 acres, and they want to re-wild about a quarter of that area, they also want to introduce cattle, horses and pigs which means they'll have to put a fence right around the perimeter of the re-wilding site.

They also plan to introduce beavers early next year.

The re-wilding project means that farm manager Nick Padwick is reducing the amount of land used to grow crops.

Nick believes that letting parts of the farm go wild and maximising the yield from the fields they have left could be a win - win strategy for the farming business and for the environment.