Sir Charles Burrell, 10th Baronet facts for kids

Sir Charles Raymond Burrell, 10th Baronet (born 27 August 1962) is an English landowner and a champion for nature. He is famous for starting the Knepp Wildland, a special project in England. It's the first big "rewilding" project in the lowlands, where he let nature take over his family's land. This began in the early 2000s when he stopped traditional farming on 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) near his home, Knepp Castle in West Sussex.

About Sir Charles

Sir Charles Burrell spent his early childhood on his parents' farm in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and later in Australia. He returned to England for high school. He studied at Millfield and the Royal Agricultural College. When his father, Sir John Raymond Burrell, passed away on 29 May 2008, Charles became the 10th Baronet.

He is married to the travel writer Isabella Tree. They have two children together.

The Knepp Wildland Project

Sir Charles lives with his family in West Sussex at the Knepp Wildland estate. This estate covers 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) and has been in his family for a long time. The main house, a castle-like mansion, was built around 1808 by John Nash. It stands next to the old ruins of the medieval Knepp Castle.

Sir Charles inherited the estate when he was 21 years old. For 17 years, he managed it using traditional intensive farming methods. However, starting in 2000, he began to change things. He decided to use "rewilding" principles. This means letting nature take its course and allowing the land to return to a wilder state. This approach helps wildlife and plants thrive on their own.

Awards for Rewilding Success

The Knepp Wildland project has received many awards for its amazing work in bringing nature back.

• In 2015, it won the People Environment Achievement (PEA) award for Nature.
• Also in 2015, the project won the Innovative & Novel Project award in the UK River Prize for its work restoring the River Adur.
• In 2017, Sir Charles received the Anders Wall Award for his special contribution to the rural environment in Europe.
• In 2017, the project won Gold for the Best Guided Tour of the Year at the Beautiful South Awards.
• In 2023, Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell were given the Zoological Society of London’s Silver Medal. This award recognized their outstanding work in helping us understand and appreciate zoology, which is the study of animals.

Sir Charles's Other Roles

Sir Charles Burrell is involved in many organizations that focus on conservation and nature. As of January 2023, he is:

• Chair of Foundation Conservation Carpathia.
• On the advisory board of The Arcadia Fund.
• On the oversight committee for the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme.
• Chair of The White Stork Project, Knepp Wildland Foundation, and Nattergal Ltd.
• Vice Chair of rePLANET.
• A Trustee for the Argolic Environment Foundation.
• On the Supervisory Board of Rewilding Europe.

See also

• Wilding (2023 film)