Bison released into the countryside in the UK
In July this year European bison were released into West Blean and Thornden Woods in Kent.

This is the first time in thousands of years that wild bison have roamed in UK

The Wildlife Trust and The Wildwood Trust have released the bison into the woods as part of their five year plan to get animals to improve the eco system of the woods and also improve the population of the bison.

European bison are a keystone species who will help restore natural processes in West Blean and Thornden Woods.
Known as ‘eco-system engineers,’ the bison will breathe new life into the ancient woodland. Their natural behaviours such as grazing, eating bark, felling trees and taking dust baths will open the canopy, creating light and new spaces for wildlife and previously missing species to thrive. Eventually the woodland will move away from being a monoculture, and wetter areas will not only store carbon, but reduce flood risk.

It is hoped that the bison will soon be joined by other grazing animals, including Exmoor ponies, Iron Age pigs and Longhorn cattle, whose natural behaviours compliment the bison and will help to manage the landscape without the need for human intervention. Their impact on biodiversity and the landscape will be closely monitored in a long-term survey programme led by Kent Wildlife Trust.

The project will connect more people with nature now that large animals are roaming our countryside. Providing education and hopefully more public support.

The £1.125m project was funded by money raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and awarded through the annual Dream Fund.

The Wilder Blean project was created as a direct response to the decline in natural species in the UK, which, according to the State of Nature Report, has seen species decline at the fastest rate in thousands of years. Introducing bison is also an alternative to traditional human woodland management, giving nature the tools and space it needs to recover.

Photo credit: The Wildwood Trust