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Environment
Jun 14, 2026
Analyzed by GPT OSS 120B

Rebalance Earth Fuels Ambitious Rewilding of 1,100‑Hectare Broughton Sanctuary

AI Summary
Investment fund Rebalance Earth is committing a multi‑million‑pound package to expand rewilding across two‑thirds of the 1,100‑hectare Broughton Sanctuary estate in North Yorkshire. The funding will broaden habitat restoration beyond tree planting, reintroduce native species and aim to deliver financial, environmental and social returns.

Rebalance Earth, a natural‑capital investment fund, has pledged “a few million” pounds to accelerate the rewilding of the 1,100‑hectare Broughton Sanctuary estate in North Yorkshire, expanding nature‑recovery work across roughly 700 hectares of the historic property.

Rebalance Earth Injects Millions into Broughton Sanctuary Rewilding

The fund, described as a “natural capital asset manager”, will support the next phase of habitat restoration, moving beyond tree planting to include native shrublands, wetland creation, and the reintroduction of beavers, Iron Age pigs and Dales ponies.

Funding Scale and Land Allocation

  • Investment amount: “a few million” pounds (exact figure undisclosed)
  • Land targeted: about 700 ha (two‑thirds of the estate) for intensive rewilding
  • Existing achievements: 330,000 trees planted over five years; beaver reintroduction in April 2025
  • Backer: West Yorkshire Pension Fund, with a £25 million stake in Rebalance Earth

Ecological and Economic Ripple Effects

The project aims to generate “financial, environmental and social returns” by turning degraded farmland into a thriving ecosystem that can mitigate flooding, drought and coastal erosion, benefits that translate into cost savings for businesses and communities.

Early ecological signs include the return of otters, curlews and a growing beaver population, while traditional farming continues on a reduced scale with orchards, allotments and around 60 cattle.

What Lies Ahead for the Yorkshire Landscape

Estate owner Roger Tempest, the 32nd generation custodian, envisions a mosaic of native woodlands, shrub‑rich hedgerows and grazing by heritage livestock to restore soil health and biodiversity. The fund’s capital is expected to unlock further habitat diversification and serve as a model for private‑sector nature investment across the UK.