3,000 North Yorkshire locals raised about £400,000 to purchase Long Lands Common, protected it from development; now it serves as a natural ecosystem for animals

What if protecting a threatened green space did not depend on one wealthy landowner or a government purchase? In North Yorkshire, thousands of ordinary people answered that question by putting their own money into a shared vision. About 3,000 people bought £50 community shares to help secure Long Lands Common and prevent the land from becoming vulnerable to development.

A Community Bought The Land It Wanted To Protect

Long Lands Common, between Harrogate and Knaresborough, was once farmland and had been caught up in plans for a major relief road through the Green Belt. Rather than simply campaign against development, residents decided to buy the land themselves. They created a community benefit society and launched a share offer during the Covid-19 pandemic. Shares cost £50, allowing people to become part-owners of the project.

The original fundraising ultimately raised about £400,000, exceeding the amount needed to purchase the 30-acre site. The project's founding chair, Chris Kitson, described it as a way of turning opposition into something positive. “Where better to have a new woodland... than on the very same Green Belt land that was threatened by the Nidd Gorge road?” he said, according to CPRE.

From Farmland To Wildlife Habitat

The land is now being managed for nature, with tree planting, new hedgerows, ponds and wildflower meadows forming part of the transformation. The community's 2026 progress report says more than 9,000 trees are planned or planted across its projects, while three ponds have been created to support great crested newts and other aquatic species. But the project is no longer limited to the original 30 acres. In 2025, the group acquired another 60 acres, now known as Knaresborough Forest Park, taking the community's protected land to about 90 acres.

A Different Model For Rewilding

Long Lands Common offers a contrast to controversial rewilding projects involving unregulated releases of animals. The Guardian has highlighted concerns surrounding abandoned lynx, roaming wild boar and unofficial “beaver bombing”, warning that conservation without proper planning can create ecological and community problems. Long Lands takes a more community-led approach: residents own the land, volunteers help manage it, and nature recovery is combined with public access, education and recreation. Its story suggests that rewilding does not always have to begin with releasing spectacular animals. Sometimes, it can begin with 3,000 people each buying a £50 stake in the place they want to protect.