who we are
About us
About us
Showing what’s possible for nature and people
Earth Trust is a charity showing how nature and people can thrive together in working landscapes. At a time when nature needs to recover across the wider countryside, not just in protected reserves, we demonstrate practical approaches that bring together nature recovery, farming, heritage and public access. What works here can work elsewhere.
Based at the Wittenham Clumps in Oxfordshire, and caring for more than 1,300 acres of farmland, woodland, wetland and meadows, we make this work visible so people can experience it for themselves.
By bringing these elements together in one place, we show what’s possible in practice. Visitors can see nature-friendly farming, habitat restoration, heritage conservation and public access working side by side in a real landscape. We help people experience nature first-hand, give farmers and landowners confidence to try new approaches, and demonstrate solutions that can be applied far beyond our own boundaries.
What happens here matters beyond this landscape. By showing how nature, farming and people can thrive together, we help shape the ideas, approaches and confidence needed for nature’s recovery elsewhere.
About us
Why our work matters
We all want to see nature thrive. But across the UK, wildlife has declined, habitats have become fragmented, and many people feel increasingly disconnected from nature and the countryside. The challenge now is not simply protecting special places, but finding ways for nature to recover across the wider landscapes where people live, work and farm.
Nature recovery will only succeed if it extends beyond protected land and nature reserves. It must happen across all types of landscape, including farmland, which makes up around 70% of the UK.
For more than 40 years, Earth Trust has shown how this can work in practice. Through nature-friendly farming, habitat restoration, heritage conservation and public access, we demonstrate that nature recovery can be part of a productive, accessible landscape.
Most importantly, we make this work visible. When people can see wildlife thriving, experience nature for themselves and understand how land can be managed differently, they begin to believe positive change is possible.
Our mission
A working landscape demonstrating nature-friendly farming
in practice.
Showing how farming, nature and people can thrive together.
A welcoming gateway to nature.
Where thousands more people discover, experience and connect with the natural world.
What we do
A real working landscape
Across our fields, woodlands, wetlands and meadows, we bring together nature recovery, nature-friendly farming, heritage and public access in one connected landscape. Everything we do helps demonstrate how these different priorities can work together to support both nature and people.
Nature-friendly farming
We show how farming can work for both people and nature – producing food while restoring soils, supporting wildlife and improving the health of the land. Our approach is practical, visible and grounded – real farming in a real landscape.
Bringing people into nature
We create welcoming, accessible experiences that help people explore the countryside with confidence. Each year, over 250,000 people visit the Wittenham Clumps and the nature reserves for fun, exercise and all the benefits of time in nature while building a deeper connection to these places.
Showing what works
We test practical approaches to land management, nature recovery and public engagement, sharing what we learn openly. By making our work visible and accessible, we help farmers, landowners, organisations and decision-makers understand what is possible and apply similar ideas elsewhere.
About us
A landscape managed for nature
We manage our land with nature at its heart — creating and restoring habitats that support wildlife throughout the year, from birds and pollinators to rare plants.
Across our landscape, we actively restore and care for grasslands, hedgerows, woodlands and wetlands, using practical, proven approaches that work in a farmed landscape. Field margins are left to flower, grazing is carefully managed, and trees are planted in ways that strengthen the wider ecosystem.
Nature recovery also supports the long-term health of the wider landscape. Healthy soils, thriving pollinators, well-managed water systems and diverse habitats all contribute to more resilient farming and land management.
By managing this work in the open and making it visible to visitors, we help people experience nature’s recovery first-hand and show how similar approaches can succeed in landscapes across the country.
farming
Nature-friendly farming at Wittenham Clumps
The Wittenham Clumps is a landscape where nature-friendly farming is put into practice every day. We are rebuilding our role as a place where approaches can be tested, demonstrated and shared openly with others.
Across our land, we are adopting regenerative and nature-friendly approaches that improve soil health, increase biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of the farm. These include agroforestry, habitat creation, lower-input farming methods and increasing diversity across the landscape.
As you explore the site, you can see this work for yourself: trees growing alongside crops, flower-rich margins supporting pollinators and habitats designed to benefit wildlife while continuing to produce food.
By making this work visible, we help farmers, landowners and decision-makers understand how nature-friendly farming can succeed in the real world and encourage wider adoption across the countryside.
heritage
Caring for heritage
Our landscapes have been shaped by thousands of years of human activity. From prehistoric settlements and Roman communities to today’s working farm, people have left their mark on the Wittenham Clumps and surrounding countryside.
At the heart of this story is Castle Hill, a Scheduled Monument and one of Oxfordshire’s most important Iron Age hillforts. Across the landscape, archaeology and historic features reveal how generations of people have lived, worked and shaped this place.
By caring for heritage alongside nature recovery and nature-friendly farming, we ensure these stories remain part of a living landscape that people can experience and enjoy today.
About us
Making nature accessible
We believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience nature and the countryside. Through accessible facilities, welcoming spaces, waymarked routes and practical visitor information, we help people feel confident exploring the landscape.
Whether you’re visiting for the first time or returning regularly, we want the Wittenham Clumps to be a place where people can enjoy nature, discover wildlife and build a deeper connection with the outdoors.
About us
Events that inspire connection
Our events programme helps more people engage with nature and experience the landscape in different ways throughout the year. From family festivals and seasonal celebrations to guided walks, talks and specialist events, every activity provides an opportunity to deepen people’s connection with nature.
By encouraging people to return throughout the seasons, we help them see how landscapes change over time and understand more about the role nature-friendly land management can play in supporting wildlife and people.
about us
Outdoor classroom at
the Clumps
Education has been at the heart of Earth Trust for decades. We provide hands-on
learning experiences that help children and young people explore nature, history,
food and farming within a real working landscape.
Through school visits and, outdoor learning programmes, young people develop a deeper understanding of the natural world and a stronger connection to the countryside.
By helping the next generation experience these landscapes first-hand, we are inspiring future custodians of nature and encouraging lifelong engagement with the environment.
About us
Nature Reserves Across Oxfordshire
Alongside the Wittenham Clumps, we care for a network of nature reserves across Oxfordshire, including sites in Wallingford, Abingdon and Didcot. These important local spaces support wildlife and provide opportunities for people to experience nature closer to home.
Together, these sites extend our impact beyond the Clumps, helping protect habitats, connect communities with nature and support wildlife recovery across the wider landscape.
About Us
Our impact in 2025
Every year, our work helps nature recover, connects more people with the outdoors
and demonstrates practical solutions that others can learn from.
Visitors welcomed
School children engaged in outdoor learning
Volunteer hours contributed by 300 volunteers
Hectares of flower-rich grassland created
Metres of hedgerows restored
Farmers and landowners engaged through knowledge sharing