Nature
A meadow, one year in
One of Watercress Farm’s more ambitious nature regeneration projects is the creation of 4.2 ha of species-rich Lowland Meadow on ex-arable land. Along with several other arable fields, the area has been left fallow for four years to allow the land to rest and recover, and had recently been taken into rewilding management, with the…
Read MoreHeavy pigging as a woodland creation tool
Written by Eric Heath, Head of Natural Capital and Ecology at Belmont. I love trees. My early joy at climbing them is probably one of the reasons I do the job I do. This love of trees has remained a constant in my career, and at Belmont we have a glorious array of trees, hedgerows…
Read MoreWhy we’re going wild for bees at Belmont
A lot of people don’t know this, but there are 270 species of bee in the UK. They hear the word “bee” and picture one thing, the honeybee, but that’s just one species out of 270. There are twenty-four species of bumblebee, and around 245 species of solitary bee. And then, sitting apart from all…
Read MoreBristol Life Awards 2026: Celebrating Education Through Nature Connection
Last week, Belmont Estate was awarded the Education category at the Bristol Life Awards 2026. This recognition belongs to every child who discovered what lives beneath stones at Watercress Farm, to every teacher who brought their class back again and again, to every volunteer who gave their time because they believed nature connection matters. It’s…
Read MoreWhat is rewilding?
Today the world marks World Rewilding Day which by no mistake also happens to be the Spring equinox, when the balance between dark and light tips in favour of light. At Belmont, it’s a day that feels personal to us. Here’s what rewilding actually means, why it matters, and what’s already happening. The…
Read MoreMindfulness and Forest Bathing – Shinrin-yoku
Modern life is hectic: our brains and senses are being constantly ambushed by blue lights and fluorescents, the pinging and ringing of mobile phones. The never-ending to-do list racing through our heads like the cars rushing through crowded streets, accompanied by the perfume of smoke. We can’t keep up. The British government declared that one…
Read MoreCrisis brings opportunity
We have two homes: Our bodies, and the earth we live on. You may be surprised – and even shocked – to hear that Britain is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with a loss of almost half its wildlife, both in number and species, in the last 50 years. The world…
Read MoreWildlife volunteering: 2024 monitoring highlights
2024 monitoring highlights in Watercress farm The Belmont wildlife volunteering programme is at the heart of our restoration efforts. It brings together dedicated volunteers, ecologists, and nature enthusiasts to monitor and protect the biodiversity within our nature recovery projects. Through consistent fieldwork and research, we aim to monitor species populations and trends, enhance habitats and…
Read MoreOne year with BNG Legislation
One year with BNG legislation – the opportunities, challenges and lessons learnt Today marks exactly one year since BNG for major developments was mandated in law and one year since we hosted DEFRA’s BNG UK Launch event at Belmont Estate. On 12 February 2024, we welcomed Tony Juniper, former Environment Minister Rebecca Pow and industry…
Read MoreBelmont secures Conservation Covenant for BNG Site
Drone image of Watercress Farm rewilding project
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