Chalkland Revival, a significant collaborative project led by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, has been awarded a grant of £152,028 from the North Wessex Downs National Landscape's Farming in a Protected Landscape programme. This project brings together a range of partners including The British Deer Society, North Wessex Downs National Landscape, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South East (FWAG), Future Nature, Wild Oxfordshire, the Soil Association, and Wiltshire and Swindon Biological Records Centre (WSBRC) as well as five farm clusters (Wessex and Combes Cluster, Southern Streams Farmers Group, the Cleres Cluster, Wessex Downlands Cluster, and The Ridgeway Cluster) covering over 40,000 hectares, in a concerted effort to restore nature and support sustainable farming across the iconic chalk landscape of the North Wessex Downs.

The project will deliver a range of benefits for nature, climate, and the local community. Key activities will focus on reversing the decline of iconic local wildlife such as farmland birds, and building a greater understanding of the landscape's health, as well as exploring new sustainable economies to support farmers.

The project has secured targeted support for the recovery of the threatened northern lapwing, a ground-nesting bird that has seen a dramatic decline in numbers. The project will provide electric fencing to protect nests from predators, create essential brood cover strips, and install signage to minimise disturbance during the critical breeding season. To better understand and support the recovery of a wide range of farmland birds, the project will use cutting-edge acoustic monitoring technology. 60 acoustic monitors will be strategically placed across farms to capture bird calls and songs, creating a soundscape of bird populations to inform future targeted conservation action. Farmers will also be provided with supplementary feed to support birds through the winter.

In partnership with the British Deer Society, the project will develop a collaborative Deer Management Action Plan to address the challenges posed by rising deer populations to woodland regeneration and biodiversity. This will be complemented by a feasibility study, led by the Soil Association, to explore viable routes to market for wild venison, promoting it as a sustainable and healthy local food source. 

A desktop study will map historic 'ghost ponds' and analyse water flow pathways to identify the best locations for new ponds and wetlands. This will not only create vital habitats but also support natural flood management and improve the landscape’s resilience to climate change.

To support the project's collaborative goals, a series of events will be held for farmers, stakeholders, and the public. The programme aims to share knowledge, showcase progress, and encourage community involvement. Events include an introductory event for participating farmers and landowners to introduce the project and the practical support available through the project.  An expert-led workshop for land managers, in partnership with the British Deer Society, on best practices for monitoring and managing deer populations. A practical, on-farm workshop demonstrating habitat creation techniques and the effective use of fencing to protect ground-nesting birds. And finally, a concluding event to share the project’s findings, celebrate its successes, and discuss the future of farmer-led conservation in the North Wessex Downs.

Full details, dates, and booking information for public events will be made available on the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust website.

Carrie Starbuck, Director of Nature Recovery at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and Wessex and Combes Cluster Facilitator, said: 

"We are thrilled to launch the Chalkland Revival project. This is a rare opportunity to show what’s possible when farm clusters work together with a common purpose and collective vision. By combining practical action for species like the lapwing with innovative monitoring and collaborative planning for deer management, we can make a real, landscape-scale difference. This project is rooted in farmer-led action and shared learning, laying the groundwork for a long-term approach to restoring biodiversity and supporting sustainable farm businesses in this cherished landscape."

British Deer Society, CEO, David Mcauley said:

"Responsible and effective deer management that supports healthy deer populations, biodiversity restoration and the production of a highly nutritious, locally sourced, sustainable food at large scales can only be achieved through collaborative projects like this. We are proud to be supporting this work and helping to ensure lasting benefits for deer, people, biodiversity and climate".

Katharine Cook Farming in Protected Landscapes Officer for the North Wessex Downs National Landscape said:

“The Chalkland Revival project is a fantastic example of funding under our Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. It really complements what we set out to achieve through supporting farmers and landowners to lead projects that deliver landscape-scale benefits for nature, climate, and the local community. This collaborative approach, bringing together five farm clusters will make a difference for nature in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape and beyond. We look forward to seeing the positive impact on our landscape."

The Chalkland Revival project is a collaboration between five farm clusters: the Wessex & Combes Cluster, Southern Streams, the Cleres Cluster, Wessex Downlands Cluster, and The Ridgeway. This initiative embodies the spirit of the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme by supporting farmer-led projects that deliver for nature, climate, people, and place. The project is scheduled to run from July 2025 to March 2026.