Kielder Living Landscape

Kielder
Living Landscape

Kielder

Our vision

To protect, restore and animate Kielder Water & Forest Park’s amazing wildlife for visitors and residents, helping them enjoy, learn, share and immerse themselves in nature whilst also contributing to the long-term protection of the area’s special animals and plants.

Area

The area consists 3500 hectares of mires (bogs) and 50,000 hectares of forest.

What’s it like?

England’s largest intact series of peat bogs interspersed with woodlands and Europe’s biggest man-made forest and lake, Kielder Water and Forest Park. 

Who/what lives there?

It is a remote area, home to very few people but a wealth of wildlife, including the country’s greatest population of the large heath butterfly, England’s largest red squirrel population and nesting ospreys.

How are we achieving this vision?

Our involvement in nature conservation at Kielder is long-standing. Thirty years ago, we were restoring the Border Mires after their post-war drainage and afforestation. Leadership from the Forestry Commission enabled large-scale restoration to slowly help the bogs heal, with Trust staff and volunteers contributing thousands of hours of practical labour to lovingly restore these gems.

Current partnership project focuses include:

  • Red squirrel conservation – ensuring Kielder’s woodland remains a safe home for England’s largest red squirrel population through detailed year-round monitoring and active conservation.
  • Bakethin Nature Reserve – 140 hectares managed in partnership with Northumbrian Water with current improvements to visitor access and interpretation.
  • Kielder Wildwood – creation of new Scot’s Pine and native woodland in one of the wildest landscapes in England.
  • Restoring Ratty – reintroducing water voles after a thirty year absence.
  • Kielder Osprey Watch – seasonal osprey nest viewing from the beautiful shores of Kielder Water. 

Partners

Kielder logo web small
Tyne Rivers Trust logo web small
Northumbrian Water logo web small

Funders

Heritage Fund logo web small
Forestry England logo web small
EU Life logo web small