Our Mission

The Knepp Wildland Foundation was founded to catalyse nature recovery across Sussex and beyond. We are using the lessons learned from the rewilding of the Knepp Estate to provide the evidence, knowledge and inspiration to support nature recovery at scale, with a particular focus on the next generation.

“We have two decades of evidence to back a simple, powerful fact: when given space, nature bounces back.”

— Libby Drew, Director, Knepp Wildland Foundation

Our Goals

Knowledge and Influence

We are developing new tools and platforms to share the knowledge and evidence generated at Knepp with a wide audience. Through data collection, citizen science, research and storytelling, we will promote the principles of rewilding among public audiences, land managers and community groups. We will test new ways make data and evidence accessible and reach a wider range of students, researchers and policymakers.

New generation

We are investing in multidisciplinary training, research and employment opportunities for 16-25 year olds. Our aim is to create skilled, confident youth networks who can steer nature recovery into a new era. Through partnerships, including Operation Wallacea, we will provide residential placements and courses for the next generation of ecologists and conservationists.

Landscape recovery

We are working towards a 100+ mile nature recovery corridor, Weald to Waves, running from Ashdown Forest, to the restored kelp forests off the Sussex coast, with Knepp at its heart. The corridor will ignite and inspire collaborations across Sussex. We will also develop a blueprint for farmer-led river restoration as part of a national pilot on landscape-scale nature recovery.

Meet the Team

  • Libby Drew

    Director

  • Bonnie Metherell

    Partnerships Lead

  • Laura Vaughan-Hirsch

    White Stork Manager

  • Gareth Williams

    Weald to Waves Lead

  • Alex Briggs

    Weald to Waves Manager

  • Ryan Ellis

    Weald to Waves Landscape Advisor

  • Mel Sanders

    River Recovery Manager

  • Rachel Bicker

    Scrubland Officer

  • Ryan Greaves

    Wild Futures Manager

  • Tony Whitbread

    Trustee

  • Helen Meech

    Trustee

  • Charlie Burrell

    Trustee

  • Isabella Tree

    Trustee

  • Dave Green

    Trustee