Commissioned Reports

External reports commissioned by Knepp.

Tree and Shrub Regeneration Across the Knepp Estate in Sussex, Southern England

Rewilding at Knepp has sparked scattered tree and shrub growth, most notably in the Southern Block, shaping a rich, varied landscape where nature leads, but forests form slowly.

Vegetation Composition and Structure Survey at Knepp

A 2022 vegetation survey at Knepp’s Southern Block recorded 132 plant species across 36 plots, revealing rich structural diversity and abundant woody regeneration, especially blackthorn and willow, offering a strong baseline for future rewilding assessments.

Bat Survey Report 2019

Discover Knepp Estate’s growing importance as a refuge for bats, with evidence of increased activity, breeding, and species richness since the 2009 baseline survey.

Knepp Wildland Megatransect Report 2023

DIscover how sixteen years of rewilding have transformed Rainbow and 27 Acre Fields into a rich tapestry of habitats.

Knepp Northern Block Vegetation Survey 2023

Discover how grazing, competition, and time are reshaping a once uniform field into a mosaic of scrub and sward at Knepp.

Knepp Soil Report

Uncover how rewilding is transforming soil at Knepp, restoring fertility, resilience, and the hidden networks that sustain thriving ecosystems.

Purple Emperor Report 2023

Step into the world of the elusive Purple Emperor Butterfly at Knepp with this 2023 survey.

Knepp Baseline Invertebrate Survey

From saproxylic beetles in ancient oaks to rare spiders hiding in the sward, this 2015 survey explores the invertebrate life thriving across Knepp's rewilding landscape.

Knepp Bat Survey 2005

Glimpse into the secret world of bats at Knepp Castle, revealed through this 2005 study.

Turtle Doves Breeding in Sussex

This 2019 survey estimates the numbers of Turtle Doves breeding in Sussex county in order to assess any changes in Turtle Dove distribution since the last full breeding atlas was completed in 2011.

When is it Overgrazing? A Subjective Landscape 

What does ‘overgrazed’ really mean in a rewilding landscape? This report captures expert debate from Knepp’s Advisory Board, exploring how language, expectation and ecology collide when trying to manage a landscape without fixed outcomes.

Vera and New Age Wood Pasture at Knepp

Insights from Knepp on Vera's wood-pasture theory, exploring tree colonisation, herbivore impacts, and the dynamics of new-age rewilding.

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