Collective Action. Powerful Impact
It's Easter, so here's one that's a little more light-hearted! The giant green egg-planet (below) isn't just LettsSafari's artistic whimsy - it's a perfect symbol for Easter's surprising connections to our planet's biodiversity! And no, we're not just yolking around. Ouch... While most people associate Easter with chocolate bunnies and pastel decorations, environmentally-minded celebrants are hatching a revolution that would make Mother Earth proud. You could call it "Operation Resurrection" for our ecosystems.
Did you know that the European hare - often confused with the "Easter bunny" - is actually a keystone species in rewilding projects across Europe? These "Easter hares" aren't delivering candy; they're delivering ecosystem services through their natural grazing patterns that maintain grassland habitats. Talk about multitasking! They're basically the unpaid landscapers of the natural world. No wonder they need a holiday.
"The irony isn't lost on us," says conservation biologist Dr. Emma Thorne. "The very animal we've turned into a chocolate novelty is critical for restoring biodiversity in certain European landscapes. It's like discovering Santa Claus is actually essential for arctic ice formation."
Easter's spring timing coincidentally aligns with critical breeding periods for countless species. This has inspired a movement of "quiet zone" Easter celebrations, where communities and church groups time their festivities to minimise disruption to wildlife. Because nothing says "Happy Easter" like respecting a woodcock's mating dance! If you've ever seen a woodcock's dance moves, you'd understand they need all the privacy they can get - those birds have rhythm that would make the Easter Bunny hop with envy.
The traditional Easter egg hunt is getting an eco-makeover through "seed eggs" - biodegradable egg-shaped containers filled with native wildflower seeds. Plant these little miracles and watch as they transform into micro-habitats for pollinators. Finally, an Easter egg that gives you something better than a sugar crash and chocolate-stained fingers!
"We've distributed over 50,000 seed eggs across urban areas," reports community organiser Wei Chen. "Children love watching their Easter eggs grow into wildflower patches that attract bees and butterflies. It's Easter magic that lasts well beyond Sunday brunch! And unlike chocolate eggs, these don't mysteriously disappear when parents get late-night munchies."
In the UK, conservation organisations have brilliantly repurposed Easter as an educational platform about ground-nesting birds whose populations have plummeted due to habitat loss. "Wild egg hunts" teach participants to identify and protect bird nests while connecting ancient fertility symbols to modern conservation needs. It's the only Easter egg hunt where finding nothing is actually a win for conservation.
So this Easter, as you admire that chocolate globe or colourful egg, remember you're holding more than a treat - you're holding a symbol of Earth's remarkable biodiversity and our opportunity to help it thrive. Now that's something worth celebrating.
And if anyone asks why you're planting your Easter eggs instead of eating them, just tell them you're expecting a different kind of miracle this year - the kind that doesn't require explaining to your dentist!
Become a member of LettsSafari this Easter and build rewilding safari parks and gardens with us. Some might even house Easter bunnies! Subscribe at LettsSafari.com.
This yearās RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch reveals a stark warning for UK wildlife lovers:
šļø Starling numbers are down 80% since the 1970s ā hitting their lowest level ever in the 2025 count.
š¦ Greenfinches have dropped by 86% in just 30 years.
š¤ House sparrows still top the list but have declined by 60% over the past few decades.
The problem? Habitat loss, sterile gardens, pollution, and climate change are squeezing out our most beloved birds.
Thatās where LettsSafari comes in.
Weāre restoring wild habitats where theyāre needed most ā in gardens, parks, and small patches of land across the UK. Our rewilding approach brings back native plants, insects, and healthy soil ā the foundations of a thriving bird population. By restoring native plants and supporting insect life, weāre giving birds the food, shelter, and nesting space they desperately need.
It works. Where rewilding happens, birds return.
With every LettsSafari subscription, you help restore vital microhabitats for numerous species of birds. Youāll also receive nature tips to rewild your own patch ā no matter how small. Together, we can bring Britainās birds back.
š Join the movement at LettsSafari.com
From garden buddleias to summer meadows, butterflies have always been a beloved and iconic part of the British landscape. But now, these delicate pollinators are sending us a stark message: their numbers are falling, fast - and itās time to act.
At LettsSafari weāre actively exploring how creativity, conservation, and community can come together to tackle some of the planetās biggest challenges - starting with something as small, and as beautiful, as the butterfly.
According to a recent report by Butterfly Conservation, 2024 marked the second-worst year for common butterfly species in the UK since records began nearly 50 years ago. Despite a warm and sunny early summer, butterfly counts plunged. Proof that short-term weather doesnāt reverse long-term ecological damage.
Some of the most worrying statistics include:
Over half of the UKās 59 native species are now in long-term decline.
Nine species, including the small tortoiseshell, small copper, and gatekeeper, saw their worst recorded numbers ever.
Even species once considered stable are now edging toward local extinction in some areas.
Dr. Richard Fox from Butterfly Conservation didnāt mince words: āItās devastating to see widespread species continuing to decline.ā He points the finger at a combination of factors: habitat destruction, pesticide use, climate change, and pollution. All consequences of how we manage land and shape our environment.
Butterflies are often described as a barometer of biodiversity. If theyāre struggling, itās a sign that wider ecosystems are breaking down too.
So what can we do? One of the most powerful tools we have is rewilding - allowing natural habitats to regenerate and flourish, often with minimal human interference. Rewilding doesnāt mean āabandoningā the land; it means stepping back and letting nature do what it does best.
Rewilded spaces offer a buffet of nectar sources, breeding sites, and shelter for butterflies. By planting native wildflowers and restoring natural plant succession, we create the complex, layered habitats that pollinators depend on.
And the best part? Rewilding can happen on almost any scale - from vast country estates to a window box in a city flat.
LettsSafari is pioneering smaller-scale rewilding projects designed to restore biodiversity and help species like butterflies thrive again. Our mission is simple: to turn underused or over-manicured spaces (gardens, parks, verges) into wild, living ecosystems.
Hereās how weāre making an impact:
Habitat creation: Our projects in southwest England focus on planting for diversity - mixing wildflowers, shrubs, grasses, and trees that bloom at different times to support butterfly lifecycles year-round.
Supporting LettsSafari is more than just a donation. Itās a chance to be part of a movement thatās regenerating land, supporting art and storytelling, and helping bring butterflies (and so much more) back from the brink.
Butterflies are beautiful, fragile and essential. Their survival depends on the choices we make today. Join LettsSafari and be part of the rewilding revolution.
š Discover how you can get involved.
A recent article in The Guardian shared the interconnection between human activity and unprecedented biodiversity decline, definitively established in a groundbreaking study published in Nature. This research, led by scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, provides the most comprehensive evidence yet of humanity's direct role in ecosystem collapse.
For the first time, researchers have traced species extinction and ecosystem degradation directly to human actions by analysing data from more than 45,000 sites across 127 countries. The evidence is clear: where human activity intensifies, biodiversity rapidly diminishes.
What makes this study revolutionary is its scale and methodology. Unlike previous research that focused on limited regions or theoretical models, this global analysis examined real-world measurements across six major ecosystems:
In each ecosystem, scientists discovered the same pattern: as human intervention increases through agriculture, urbanisation, resource extraction, and pollution, biodiversity metrics plummet in direct correlation.
While climate change often dominates environmental headlines, this research reveals a more nuanced reality. Human-driven habitat destruction emerges as the primary culprit behind biodiversity loss, followed by pollution and resource overexploitation.
Dr. Emma Sinclair, lead researcher, explains: "We've been focusing heavily on carbon emissions, but this data shows we must address multiple human impacts simultaneously. Biodiversity doesn't distinguish between threats ā it responds to their cumulative effect."
The findings highlight alarming statistics:
Traditional conservation approaches focus on protecting what remains. While valuable, this study suggests a more profound strategy is needed: regenerative ecosystem restoration. This approach doesn't just prevent further losses but actively rebuilds ecological integrity.
What does regenerative restoration look like in practice?
Well, LettsSafari is a great example. We have transformed parks and gardens into biodiversity hotspots by reintroducing keystone species and allowing natural processes to rebuild ecological complexity. Within fifteen years, this regenerative, smaller-scale rewilding approach created habitat for numerous threatened species while maintaining economic viability.
While large-scale initiatives are crucial, individual actions collectively drive significant change. How can you contribute to biodiversity regeneration?
The study's most profound implication challenges our fundamental relationship with nature. Western thinking has long separated humans from natural systems, viewing environmental protection as restricting human activity.
This research suggests a different paradigm: human activities must be redesigned to enhance rather than diminish biodiversity. This means creating agricultural systems that build soil health and habitat, developing urban areas that incorporate ecological corridors, and managing resources based on ecosystem carrying capacity. All areas LettsSafari can help with.
"We need to move beyond sustainability to regeneration," notes environmental economist Dr. James Morton. "Sustainability aims to reduce harm, but regeneration asks how human presence can actively improve ecological health."
This perspective aligns with indigenous wisdom that has always understood humans as integral participants in natural systems with responsibilities toward ecological wellbeing.
The window for effective intervention is narrowing. The study identifies multiple ecosystems approaching irreversible tipping points, however, the research also offers hope. Ecosystems show remarkable resilience when human pressures reduce and regenerative approaches are implemented. Recovery rates accelerate when multiple restoration strategies work in concert.
Have you considered how your daily choices contribute to either ecosystem degradation or regeneration?
At LettsSafari, we're pioneering approaches that transform degraded landscapes into thriving ecosystems while creating sustainable livelihoods. Our network of safari parks demonstrates how regenerative land management can rapidly rebuild biodiversity while providing economic benefits. Plus these approaches can be applied to personal and public spaces at home and work.
The evidence is clear: humanity stands at a crossroads. We can continue business as usual and witness accelerating ecological collapse, or embrace regenerative approaches that rebuild the living systems upon which all life depends.
The choice belongs to each of us. What world will you help create?
Discover how individual actions can contribute to large-scale environmental healing. LettsSafari membership includes latest rewilding thinking, updates on our parks and gardens, and actionable rewilding guides for the public. All for the price of a coffee per month! Sign up TODAY!
When we think about rewilding, we often envision vast, sprawling landscapes and large-scale ecological projects. Yet, equally transformative is rewilding that happens on smaller scales - right in our own backyards, gardens, and community spaces. And with World Water Day this month, we wanted to discuss one indispensable resource that lies at the heart of these efforts: water.
Water is life, shaping habitats, nurturing wildlife, and sustaining entire ecosystems. When carefully integrated into smaller-scale rewilding projects, water becomes a powerful tool for biodiversity recovery and climate resilience.
Why Water Matters in Rewilding:
How You Can Help:
At LettsSafari, we celebrate every action taken to revive nature, no matter the scale. By understanding and harnessing the profound importance of water, we amplify our collective impact, helping nature to flourish in every corner. Every drop counts. Letās make them matter. Join our community at LettsSafari today!
We're delighted to mark World Rewilding Day 2025 and congratulate all the environmentalists, conservationists and rewilders around the world. We're so proud to be part of the global rewilding community.
For the past 20 years, LettsSafari has been pioneering a new approach to nature restoration. Weāve created and managed smaller-scale rewilding safari parks , where wildlife, biodiversity, and ecosystems are regenerated naturally. Our innovative model makes rewilding more accessible, engaging, and sustainable, helping to combat climate change and biodiversity loss.
Of course, the traditional view of rewilding often conjures images of vast wilderness reserves and extensive land restoration projects. However, LettsSafari demonstrates that smaller-scale rewilding initiatives may hold the key to addressing biodiversity loss and climate change more effectively.
LettsSafari's innovative model focuses on transforming smaller parcels of land into thriving ecosystems such as those at Dawlish Park and Sunrise Park in Devon. This approach challenges the conventional wisdom that rewilding requires extensive land holdings to be effective. By working with areas ranging from several hundred acres down to a household back garden, LettsSafari has proven that significant ecological improvements can be achieved on a more modest scale.
Smaller-scale rewilding offers several distinct advantages over larger projects:
The LettsSafari model demonstrates that rewilding need not be limited to large-scale wilderness areas. By making rewilding more accessible and achievable, this approach has the potential to transform conservation efforts globally. As more organisations and communities adopt these principles, we could see a mosaic of rewilded spaces emerging across urban and rural landscapes, creating a more biodiverse and climate-resilient future.
Want to find out more? In honour of World Rewilding Day, we're pleased to announce this Summer weāre throwing open the doors to host an exclusive Open Day for our paid members.
During this special event, you'll enjoy a guided tour of our rewilding parks, and experience the transformation of landscapes first-hand.
Hosted by founder Philip Letts and the LettsSafari team, we'll be celebrating the amazing rewilded gardens and the extraordinary rare, ancient trees in Exeterās Capability Brown gardens surrounded by two other LettsSafari parks. Wander the wilded gardens and experience the collection of rare, young and ancient trees, meet some of the 140+ rare species and learn our methods and approaches to rewilding.
Relax in nature with refreshing drinks and light refreshments , while connecting with other guests who share an interest in sustainability and rewilding.
š± For every 10 new subscribers we plant a tree a year.
š¦ For every 100, we release an endangered animal.
š³ And for every 10,000 we create a new rewilding safari park a year!
Make A Difference: Together We Can Rewild To Tackle Climate Change.
When we launched LettsSafari.com and LettsSafari+ three and a half years ago we set a goal that our research, learnings and weekly updates about LettsSafari and smaller-scale rewilding would end up adding up to a book. Not in the traditional way, like most things LettsSafari, but a digital book that would be shared with our members, in weekly instalments. A book, that if it was done right, could become the essential guide to smaller-scale rewilding .
Well, we've finally finished it. Starting next week, we'll publish weekly instalments of the guide directly in LettsSafari+ and at your inbox - from the beginning, section after section, week after week. Packed with amazing photography and immersive videos straight from our parks. As a result, LettsSafari members will sometimes enjoy more than one weekly update! If you're not already a member of LettsSafari, subscribe today for the price of a cup of coffee a month.
Overview
Rewilding isn't just for vast landscapes and conservation projects - it can be done in your own backyard, community spaces, or even on a balcony. " Smaller-Scale Rewilding: A Practical Guide to Restoring Nature in Your Own Space" is an inspiring and accessible resource that empowers individuals to contribute to ecological restoration in meaningful ways. This guide demystifies rewilding and provides clear, actionable steps for anyone looking to create pockets of thriving biodiversity, regardless of space constraints.
Key Sections and Takeaways
1. The Philosophy of Smaller-Scale Rewilding
This section introduces the concept of smaller-scale rewilding, explaining why it is essential in combating biodiversity loss and climate change. It highlights the benefits of letting nature take its course and outlines the principles of working with, rather than against, ecological processes.
2. Understanding Your Space
Before beginning a small rewilding project, itās important to assess the characteristics of your space. This section walks readers through soil health, native species identification, and microhabitats, helping them recognise opportunities for positive intervention.
3. Practical Rewilding Strategies
Here, the guide offers tangible steps, such as reducing lawn mowing, planting native flora, creating wildlife corridors, and reintroducing beneficial species. Each strategy is tailored to different scales, from urban balconies to larger rural plots. Each macro habitat essential to rewilding is considered and designed for gardens, small parks and other small green spaces.
4. The Role of Water in Rewilding
Water is essential for biodiversity. This section covers techniques for managing rainwater, creating small ponds, and fostering wetland environments, even in limited spaces.
5. Encouraging Wildlife and Natural Processes
From providing nesting sites to reducing artificial lighting, this section teaches ways to support birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, ensuring they thrive naturally.
6. Community and Urban Rewilding
Rewilding extends beyond private land. The book explores how collective efforts - like guerrilla gardening, green corridors, and public space restoration can create larger, interconnected ecosystems in urban areas.
7. Long-Term Success and Sustainability
Rewilding is an ongoing process. The guide discusses monitoring progress, adapting to changes, and educating others to foster a culture of coexistence with nature.
Why You Should Read It
This definitive guide, packed with examples from LettsSafari parks and gardens, is perfect for nature lovers, gardeners, and environmental enthusiasts eager to make a tangible difference. It blends science with real-world applications, making rewilding accessible to everyone. By following its principles, readers will not only create beautiful, biodiverse spaces but also contribute to a larger movement toward ecological restoration - and wild living.
Whether you have a mini park, a sprawling garden, a small yard, or just a few planters, Smaller-Scale Rewilding proves that every effort counts. Dive in and discover how you can be a part of natureās revival - right where you are. To get your first instalment of this definitive guide, become a member of LettsSafari today.
"Smaller-Scale Rewilding: A Practical Guide to Restoring Nature in Your Own Space" will be available to LettsSafari members in weekly instalments starting from next week. To become a member go to LettsSafari.com.
Pollinators, especially bees, are facing a global decline, threatening ecosystems and food security. Bees pollinate 75% of global food crops and nearly 90% of flowering plants, making them essential to biodiversity and agriculture. Their disappearance would have devastating consequences.
The causes of decline are many, but include:
There are a number of solutions we can all consider to reverse the decline:
At Mamhead Park, LettsSafariās rewilding efforts have restored pollinator habitats by eliminating pesticides, reintroducing native plants, and creating wildflower meadows. As a result, rare species have returned, and farms within a five-mile radius have seen improved pollination.
The pollinator crisis is urgent, but rewilding offers hope.
To read the full article and find out more join LettsSafari and help restore nature.
We love the "Letting the Light In" project at Chiswick House & Gardens in West London, funded by Rewild London and supported by the Mayor of London and the London Wildlife Trust. It aims to enhance biodiversity in approx 20 acres of the estateās woodlands. Overgrown with invasive species like holly, cherry laurel, and rhododendron, the woodlands have become dense, limiting sunlight and reducing habitat variety. The initiative focuses on clearing overgrown areas, removing invasive plants, and allowing more light to promote healthier ecosystems for birds, insects, and mammals.
Over the next five years, the project aims to restore thriving woodlands with healthier trees and increased wildlife. This smaller-scale rewilding serves as an example of how urban spaces can prioritise biodiversity and environmental sustainability.Ā It's a great example of the "smaller-scale" rewilding approach pioneered by LettsSafari.
Of course, the traditional view of rewilding often conjures images of vast wilderness reserves and extensive land restoration projects. However, projects like Letting The Light In and LettsSafari demonstrate that smaller-scale rewilding initiatives may hold the key to addressing biodiversity loss and climate change more effectively.
LettsSafari's innovative model focuses on transforming smaller parcels of land into thriving ecosystems such as those at Dawlish Park in Devon. This approach challenges the conventional wisdom that rewilding requires extensive land holdings to be effective. By working with areas ranging from several hundred down to a household backyard, LettsSafari has proven that significant ecological improvements can be achieved on a more modest scale.
Smaller-scale rewilding offers several distinct advantages over larger projects:
The genius of the smaller-scale approach lies in its potential for creating networks of rewilded spaces. When multiple smaller sites implement rewilding principles, they form ecological stepping stones that allow wildlife to move through landscapes, even in urban and suburban areas. This network effect amplifies the impact of each individual site, creating a more resilient and interconnected natural system.
Smaller-scale rewilding projects contribute significantly to climate change mitigation through:
The LettsSafari model demonstrates that rewilding need not be limited to large-scale wilderness areas. By making rewilding more accessible and achievable, this approach has the potential to transform conservation efforts globally. As more organisations and communities adopt these principles, we could see a mosaic of rewilded spaces emerging across urban and rural landscapes, creating a more biodiverse and climate-resilient future.
The success of smaller-scale rewilding initiatives proves that when it comes to environmental restoration, bigger isn't always better. Through strategic implementation of these principles at various scales, we can work towards a more sustainable and biodiverse planet, one small patch at a time.
Become a LettsSafari subscriber today! Support our work, get exclusive content on our projects and even receive expert tips to transform your garden into a wildlife haven. All for the price of a monthly cup of coffee.
š± For every 10 new subscribers we plant a tree a year.
š¦ For every 100, we release an endangered animal.
š³ And for every 10,000 we create a new rewilding safari park a year!
Make A Difference: Together We Can Rewild To Tackle Climate Change.
LettsSafari is a pioneer and expert in smaller-scale rewilding. We have developed models for small gardens, medium and large gardens. We have also built models for small, medium and large parks. All are live and operating at our rewilding centre in Exeter, Devon. More across LettsSafari's Network of Parks.
Over the next few months we will show LettsSafari subscribers (sign up below!) to create their very own rewilding safari park - starting with a small park.
Creating a small rewilding safari park, ranging from 10 to 25 acres, offers a unique opportunity to restore natural ecosystems, enhance biodiversity, and provide a sanctuary for wildlife. Such parks are designed primarily for walking and observing nature, as their size doesn't support larger herbivores within the perimeter. It's important to start with some initial considerations:
Purpose and Goals:
Define your objectives. Do you aim to create a peaceful retreat, focus on carbon sequestration, or prioritise wildlife conservation?
Land Assessment:
Evaluate the existing landscape, including soil type and health, natural tree cover, local wildlife species, topography, and water features. Understanding these elements will guide your design and planting decisions.
Accessibility and Boundaries:
Plan for boundary fencing to protect the area and establish access points and pathways for visitors. Consider the aspect and predominant wind directions to optimize plant growth and visitor comfort.
Design and Layout:
An ideal rewilding park balances various habitats to support diverse species. Aim for approximately 20-25% tree cover, interspersed with wild grasses and open scrub areas. Incorporating a water feature, such as a stream or pond, can significantly enhance biodiversity, though it's not always feasible.
Maintenance and Monitoring:
While rewilding emphasises natural processes, some management is necessary, especially in the early stages. Regularly monitor plant growth, soil health, and wildlife populations. Control invasive species to prevent them from outcompeting native flora. Over time, as the ecosystem becomes more self-sustaining, human intervention can be minimised.
Community Engagement:
Involving the local community can enhance the success of your rewilding project. Educational programs, volunteer opportunities, and collaborative events foster a sense of ownership and support for the park. Engaged communities are more likely to advocate for and protect natural spaces.
Long-Term Vision:
Establishing a small rewilding safari park is a commitment that yields long-term rewards. With thoughtful planning and dedication, significant progress can be made within five years. The journey of creating and nurturing such a space not only contributes to environmental conservation but also offers personal fulfilment and a lasting legacy for future generations.
For more detailed guidance and resources and to get the full series, sign up to LettsSafari for just Ā£4.50 a month. Your subscription powers LettsSafari:
š± For every 10 new subscribers we plant a tree a year.
š¦ For every 100, we release an endangered animal.
š³ And for every 10,000 we create a new rewilding safari park a year!
Make A Difference: Together We Can Rewild To Tackle Climate Change.