{"id":779,"date":"2022-01-11T14:38:10","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T14:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/knepp.co.uk\/ecosystem-services\/"},"modified":"2025-08-12T09:10:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T08:10:27","slug":"ecosystem-services","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/knepp.co.uk\/rewilding\/ecosystem-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Ecosystem Services"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Home<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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ecosystem services<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The recovery of our soils and wetlands and the regeneration of our shrubs and trees means we\u2019ve gone from being a significant carbon emitter under intensive farming to a powerful carbon sink under rewilding. <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Methane emitted from our livestock is likely to be much lower than in intensive systems given their natural diet and these emissions should be viewed holistically, as part of the natural carbon cycle of our functioning ecosystem.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Data analysis carried out by Queen Mary University of London has shown that in 18 years the Southern Block has gained 1.3million square metres of scrub. About a third of the area that was previously under arable is now scrub. This scrub, as well as other habitat gained from the rewilding process, provides other vital ecosystem services for the public good. We have made huge gains in terms of soil restoration, carbon sequestration, water storage and water purification, flood mitigation, air purification, habitat for rare species and other wildlife – including pollinating insects, and space for nature, all of which benefit to human mental and physical health.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

In 2012, a report by DEFRA quantifying eight key \u2018ecosystem services\u2019 showed that Knepp\u2019s scores had improved dramatically from the previous regime of intensive farming (the blue line in the spidergram below). (\u2018Fresh water\u2019 is concerned with reservoirs etc for water storage, which we do not have on Knepp, so this score remained the same).\u202f\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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As our<\/span> ecosystem<\/span> continues to <\/span>recover, <\/span>becom<\/span>ing<\/span> ever <\/span>more complex and dynamic<\/span>, <\/span>the se<\/span>rvices<\/span> it provides<\/span> (<\/span>often now referred to as \u2018public goods\u2019<\/span>)<\/span> continue to <\/span>grow<\/span>. <\/span>L<\/span>ong<\/span>–<\/span>term studies looking into <\/span>carbon, water storage, soil health and biodiversity <\/span>at Knepp provide<\/span> evidence to <\/span>show <\/span>how <\/span>rewilding can <\/span>provide fundamental<\/span> improvements to the environment – our life-support system<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Further Information<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Davidson, Sarah. <\/span>Rewilding Benefits Ecosysem Services<\/span><\/i>. (Cranfield University 2019):\u00a0 <\/span>Link to her report on our monitoring and surveys page<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0

<\/span>Why We Need Rewilding <\/span>https:\/\/www.rewildingbritain.org.uk\/explore-rewilding\/what-is-rewilding\/why-we-need-rewilding<\/span><\/a>\u00a0

<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Helm, Dieter.<\/span>\u202fNatural Capital \u2013 valuing the planet.<\/span><\/i>\u202f(Yale University Press, 2015)\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0

<\/span>Helm, Dieter. <\/span>Green and prosperous land. <\/span><\/i>(William Collins, 2020)<\/span>\u00a0

<\/span>Lawton, John.\u00a0Making Space for Nature – a review of England\u2019s wildlife sites and ecological network.\u00a0<\/em>Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (16 September 2010)<\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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