Bison Hunting
West Blean and Thornden woods in Kent is the first rewilding project in the UK that has introduced European bison into their plans to return the countryside to its original state.
We did find them!
Rewilding is by definition make some primary management changes to enable nature to look after itself. The management changes are needed to reverse whatever has been impeding natural sites to flourish in the first place. This could include: stopping over grazing or arable practices, controlling deer or other dominant species or the introduction of species that will manage the biodiversity naturally. These include pigs which have been used in many sites in order to turn over the ground with their foraging habits to encourage new species to grow, or beavers which, with their dam building, can create wetlands.
At Blean they have begun the #wilderblean project which involves the introduction of the European bison to engage in their normal habits - grazing, pushing trees over as they make their way through the woods and dust bathing to clear space for more biodiversity. This species of bison was not present in the UK in the past but the European will have the same effect on the environment as its extinct cousin.
The bison herd currently comprises of 3 adult females, 1 bull and a surprise calf, born September 2022. The project is being monitored by a team based at Blean with the Kent Wildlife Trust and you can find out more details here
We were lucky to see the bison as, for obvious safety reasons, there is a fence around their enclosure. After parking the car and beginning to walk in the direction we guessed they might be, we fortuitously bumped into Ron who was a ranger and could tell us through the tagging of the bison where they were! An hour’s walk and a good few times of being stuck in the mud - one involving the total loss of trainers! - we made it and were able to spend 45 minutes with them before they disapeared into the trees.
The bull..
This was the first rewilding site I have visited right at the beginning of a project to look at rewilding sites from big to small. Blean is classed as a medium sized site but there was plenty of little and large at the site itself as you can see from the below gallery.
