A former royal hunting ground in Essex is being transformed into a wildlife-rich nature reserve with the help of three pigs. Harold’s Park Wildland, a 509-acre site near Waltham Abbey, is being rewilded after failing as arable land and a Christmas tree plantation.
The project, run by conservation company Nattergal, uses “soft engineering” to restore natural processes. Three Iron Age pigs – a mix of wild boar and Tamworth – have been introduced to root through the soil, helping regenerate ancient woodland. Cattle and ponies are expected to follow, aiding habitat recovery and managing deer numbers.
Once used by the last Saxon king, Harold Godwinson, the land is now seeing conifer plantations removed, native trees encouraged to grow, ponds created and water flow slowed to reduce flooding. New tracks through the woods are designed to create corridors for wildlife.
Site manager Tom Moat said the aim is to let nature take the lead, allowing fields to gradually turn into scrubland and wood pasture. The project is expected to benefit species such as nightingales and turtle doves and will eventually open to educational visits for children from urban areas.
Conservation experts say the reserve could also ease visitor pressure on other popular green spaces, with nature expected to recover quickly as restoration continues.
