Ground Control allocated £100,000 every year to environmental projects. Its Wildfell Initiative expanded into a 116-hectare woodland and habitat restoration site

Six years ago, Ground Control was exploring how to move beyond its traditional grounds maintenance and landscape work and take on larger nature recovery projects. That ambition eventually led the company to North Essex, where it purchased land and created the Wildfell Centre for Environmental Recovery, as per a report by the UK Government.

Today, the 116-hectare site combines new woodland, existing ancient woodland and a range of habitats, while also testing different ways of funding long-term nature recovery.

Ground Control, established in 1973, manages more than 50,000 sites across the UK and provides services including grounds maintenance, landscape construction, arboriculture and vegetation management.

How did Ground Control move into large-scale woodland creation?

The journey began with a much smaller woodland project in Billericay. Chris Bawtree, Ground Control’s Nature Recovery Director, led the company’s first exploration of woodland creation six years ago. That 9-hectare project successfully secured HS2 grant funding.

The company was also putting money directly into environmental work. Through its Evergreen Fund, Ground Control allocated £100,000 each year to tree planting across its client network, with the fund dedicating 5% of annual net profits to environmental initiatives.

But finding enough suitable land for projects at a larger scale proved difficult, despite the company having access to thousands of commercial properties.

That challenge prompted Ground Control to purchase a site in North Essex. The result was Wildfell, a 116-hectare landscape made up of arable land, woodland and grassland, with the River Pant flowing nearby.

The project now operates through two connected initiatives. A 50-hectare woodland creation scheme is supported by the England Woodland Creation Offer and registered under the Woodland Carbon Code. Separately, a habitat bank includes 22 hectares of existing ancient woodland being enhanced through biodiversity net gain, alongside wildflower meadows, ponds, hedgerows and a traditional orchard.

What is Ground Control trying to demonstrate?

Wildfell is not simply about planting trees. A major part of the project is examining whether different funding routes can support nature recovery over the long term.

Ground Control recognised that converting productive farmland to woodland can be sensitive. The company engaged with the North Essex Farm Cluster, a group of 50 local landowners around Pant and Blackwater, and stressed that the goal was not wholesale conversion.

“We’re not advocating converting whole farms to nature recovery. We’re trying to demonstrate the revenues those changes can make, so we can then advise people to do various elements of what we’ve done.”

The consultation influenced the design of the site, including transitional grassland and scrub habitats between woodland and neighbouring properties in Wethersfield village. It also identified opportunities for greater public access.

The woodland itself contains predominantly native broadleaf species, with 25 species included across the project. These include pedunculate oak, hornbeam, common walnut, field maple, Scots pine, small-leaved lime, wild cherry and wild service.

What challenges did the woodland project face?

Planting began in September 2022, with the first 20 hectares established that year. Other habitats were developed alongside the woodland, while a barn and yard area were also built.

The team had to contend with wildlife pressure from deer, hares, rabbits, voles and badgers. One response was to incorporate rabbit mesh into deer fencing, avoiding the need for individual tree guards.

Ground Control also tested coir mulch mats and compost and sheet-mulching techniques as alternatives to plastic mulch mats.

Planting was completed by Christmas 2024, making Wildfell the largest nature recovery project in Ground Control’s 50-year history.

The company's approach also included planning for future resilience. Native broadleaf species such as hornbeam and hazel are intended to form managed coppice blocks in 15 to 20 years. A small proportion of near-native species, including sycamore, red oak and Norway maple, was included in response to the site's soil types and concerns around future climate, pest and disease pressures.

Can nature recovery create different revenue streams?

This is one of the central questions behind Wildfell. The 50-hectare woodland scheme is supported by EWCO and registered with the Woodland Carbon Code, with a forecast of 14,000 Pending Issuance Units. Other parts of Wildfell are focused on biodiversity net gain, allowing Ground Control to compare different approaches.

“With Wildfell, we were looking at a holistic approach to the project – trying to find as many sustainable revenue sources as we could. One of the reasons for using different funding approaches was to gain an understanding of EWCO and carbon in comparison to BNG, so we could share our learnings with landowners.”

Early results have provided evidence that multiple funding streams can work together. EWCO is providing income to establish and manage the new woodland, while initial BNG unit sales have confirmed market demand despite lower-than-expected development levels locally.

The project has also become a place for community involvement. During National Tree Week in 2024, 100 volunteers took part in a tree planting day. Wildfell also has facilities for educational visits, with space for up to 20 people for guided tours and learning sessions.

As a Forestry Commission Woodland Ambassador, Bawtree uses the site to share practical experience with other landowners considering woodland creation and management.

“This project is a physical demonstration of the company’s core values. We are not just talking about the environment – we have gone out there, bought the land and committed to the project.”

Wildfell is also being positioned to explore potential future payments linked to natural flood prevention, water quality improvements and other ecosystem services as those markets develop.

For Ground Control, the project represents a long-term experiment in how private investment, woodland creation, biodiversity and different environmental markets can work together.

“This project demonstrates that privately funded nature recovery is viable. We’re not just talking about the environment – we’re taking concrete action by purchasing land and committing to long-term ecosystem restoration.”

FAQs

How much does Ground Control allocate to environmental projects?
It allocates £100,000 a year through its Evergreen Fund.

How large is the Wildfell site?
Wildfell covers 116 hectares in North Essex.