The UN and UK Government have both stated that large-scale nature protection, or rewilding, is essential to tackling the climate and biodiversity crises. Yet in the UK, where 50% of land is owned by just 1% of people, the future of nature largely depends on decisions made by a relatively small number of landowners. Farmers – whether owner-occupiers or tenants – manage around 70% of UK land. If we are to rewild 30% of land by 2030 without compromising food security, some of this must come from farmland.

Farmers are already experiencing the impacts of climate instability and biodiversity decline. At the same time, they’re navigating major changes in agricultural subsidies, environmental regulations, and market volatility. In this context, it’s natural for both farmers and landowners to ask: Can rewilding offer a viable income?

At Wild Card, we believe nature has intrinsic value, beyond what it provides us financially. But we also recognise that ecosystem restoration requires investment – and that for rewilding to scale, it must make economic sense at the farm and estate level. The good news is, it can – for both landowners and farmers.

We’ve written more of a deep-dive here which also includes detailed case studies, but below we set out the 5 key income streams available, and the additional benefits for landowners of tenant farmers who rewild.

1. Public Funding

Farmers can access several government schemes that reward them for protecting and restoring nature:

> Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) include the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship, and Landscape Recovery. These provide payments for improving habitat condition, expanding biodiversity, and undertaking landscape-scale nature recovery.

> Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are being developed in every part of England. While they are not direct funding sources, they shape regional biodiversity priorities and are expected to influence future funding eligibility.

> Other sources include DEFRA’s Nature for Climate Fund, Natural Flood Management grants, and local council schemes supporting tree planting and river restoration.

For tenant farmers, these schemes are increasingly accessible through mechanisms like the Crown Estate’s Environmental Farm Business Tenancy (eFBT) agreements, which supports nature recovery on tenanted land.

2. Natural Capital Markets

Emerging private markets for nature restoration offer new income streams:

> Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) enables farmers to create and sell biodiversity units to developers. While the scheme is not without criticism, it does create a route for farmers to restore land and receive long-term payments.

> Carbon credits can be generated through woodland creation, peatland restoration, or soil improvement. Verified credits can be sold to companies with net-zero targets.

> Water quality and nutrient neutrality credits are relevant in catchments under regulatory pressure. Farmers who restore wetlands or reduce runoff may be able to earn income through these schemes.

> Flood mitigation services are also growing. Insurance firms, utilities, and developers are increasingly interested in paying landowners to reduce flood risks through rewilding – for example, by reforesting uplands or reconnecting rivers to floodplains.

These markets can be complex to navigate, but support is available through environmental NGOs, brokers, and regional partnerships.

3. CSR and ESG-Driven Finance

A rapidly growing opportunity lies in corporate investment through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks. Large companies – including Aviva, UBS and Nestlé – are increasingly funding nature recovery to meet sustainability goals and reputational expectations.

This type of funding is often part of blended finance models, where corporate capital supplements public funds to deliver large-scale environmental outcomes. Many Landscape Recovery schemes, for example, are already incorporating private finance.

Environmental NGOs such as the Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, and Nature North act as intermediaries, offering corporate vetted, shovel-ready projects. These often include land under tenancy, meaning tenant farmers can benefit where their holdings fall within project zones.

Landowners can play a key role in coordinating such projects and facilitating access to capital – while improving the resilience and value of their estates.

4. Nature-Based Tourism

Rewilding can increase the appeal of rural sites for tourism. Opportunities include:

> Wildlife experiences such as birdwatching hides, beaver lodges or rewilding safaris

> Eco-accommodation like off-grid cabins or glamping

> Educational experiences, from school trips to rewilding workshops

These forms of tourism often attract higher-paying visitors and can bring wider benefits to local economies. Landowners can also partner with hospitality businesses to reduce upfront investment.

5. Low-Input Farming

Rewilding doesn’t mean farming must stop. Many rewilding projects incorporate extensive, low-input grazing using native breeds like cattle, ponies or pigs. These animals shape the landscape in ecologically beneficial ways, while producing high-welfare, pasture-fed “wild meat” that appeals to environmentally conscious consumers.

With reduced need for feed, vet care and machinery, these systems can be more financially resilient – especially when coupled with direct-to-consumer sales or high-end markets. Some farms choose to rewild part of their land while continuing more conventional practices on the rest.

Landowner Benefits

Landowners stand to gain from tenant farmers who engage in rewilding, both financially and reputationally:

> Ecological uplift improves land value and long-term productivity.

> Public support for rewilding (83% in the UK) can strengthen estate reputation and unlock community support.

> Large-scale funding becomes more accessible when estates coordinate with tenants on shared recovery plans.

> Climate resilience is enhanced through improved soil health, water retention, and reduced exposure to climate risks.

> Diversified income protects both tenants and landlords from the volatility of traditional farming markets.

By enabling and encouraging tenants to rewild, landowners help unlock these benefits at scale.

Case Studies

Several farms in England illustrate how rewilding can generate income:

> At Knepp Estate, rewilding has transformed a loss-making farm into a business earning around £800,000 annually from eco-tourism, meat sales, and stewardship schemes.

> Wild Ken Hill saw gross margins rise from £375 to £550/ha after rewilding 200ha, while retaining conventional and regenerative farming elsewhere.

> In Wild Ennerdale, a landscape-scale partnership has combined rewilding, tenant grazing, public access, and branding to generate sustainable income and community benefits.

You can explore these case studies in more detail here

Conclusion

Rewilding offers a powerful route to economic and ecological renewal for both tenant farmers and landowners. With a mix of public subsidies, private finance, and new markets for nature, rewilding can make farms more resilient, diversify rural incomes, and protect long-term land value.

We hope more institutional landowners – including the Church Commissioners – will follow the lead of The Crown Estate, Duchy of Cornwall, and National Trust in supporting rewilding as a strategic, sustainable use of land that secures both nature and livelihoods for the future.