Sir Charles Burrell, 10th Baronet facts for kids

Sir Charles Raymond Burrell, born on August 27, 1962, is an English landowner and a champion for nature. He is famous for starting the Knepp Wildland project in England. This project is all about letting nature take over and heal itself on a large piece of land. Sir Charles began this work in the early 2000s. He stopped traditional farming on about 3,500 acres of land around his family's old home, Knepp Castle, in West Sussex.

Sir Charles's Early Life and Family

Sir Charles Burrell spent his early years on his parents' farm. This farm was in a place called Southern Rhodesia, which is now Zimbabwe. Later, his family moved to Australia. He returned to England for his high school education. He studied at Millfield school and then at the Royal Agricultural College.

Sir Charles became a Baronet after his father, Sir John Raymond Burrell, passed away on May 29, 2008. A Baronet is a special title that is passed down in families. He is married to Isabella Tree, who is a writer. They have two children together.

The Knepp Estate: A New Way to Farm

Sir Charles Burrell lives with his family in West Sussex. Their home is on the historic Knepp Wildland estate. The estate covers about 3,500 acres. The main house is a large castle-like mansion. It was built around 1808 by a famous architect named John Nash. This mansion is close to the old ruins of the medieval Knepp Castle.

The Knepp estate has been in the Burrell family for a long time. It first came into the family in 1787. Sir Charles inherited the estate when he was 21 years old. For 17 years, he managed the land using traditional farming methods. This meant growing crops and raising animals in a very planned way.

However, in 2000, Sir Charles decided to try something new. He started to change the estate using ideas from rewilding. Rewilding means letting nature take its course. Instead of farming, the land is allowed to return to a more natural state. This helps plants and animals that might have disappeared come back.

Awards for the Knepp Wildland Project

The Knepp Wildland project has received many special awards. These awards recognize the important work Sir Charles and his team are doing for nature.

• In 2015, the project won the People Environment Achievement (PEA) award for Nature.
• Also in 2015, it received the Innovative & Novel Project award. This was for their amazing work on the River Adur restoration project. They helped bring the river back to life.
• In 2017, Sir Charles received the Anders Wall Award. This award is for people who make a big difference to the countryside in Europe.
• In 2017, Knepp Wildland won a Gold award for the Best Guided Tour of the Year at the Beautiful South Awards.
• In 2023, Isabella Tree and Sir Charles Burrell were given the Zoological Society of London’s Silver Medal. This was for their great work in helping people understand and appreciate animals.

Sir Charles's Work in Conservation

Sir Charles Burrell is involved in many important groups that protect nature. As of July 2025, he holds several key positions:

• He is the Chair of Foundation Conservation Carpathia.
• He is on the advisory board of The Arcadia Fund.
• He helps oversee the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme.
• He is the chair of The White Stork Project.
• He also chairs the Knepp Wildland Foundation and Nattergal Ltd.
• He is the Vice Chair of rePLANET.
• He is a Trustee for the Argolic Environment Foundation.
• He is on the Supervisory Board of Rewilding Europe.

All these roles show his dedication to helping nature thrive around the world.

See also

• Wilding (2023 film)