Lead organisation
Partner organisations
Project description
The Wylye Valley Landscape Recovery (WVLR) project is a bold, landscape-scale collaboration restoring over 20km of chalk stream and floodplain habitats between Norton Bavant and Steeple Langford. Together, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wessex Rivers Trust, and the Wylye Valley Farmers are bringing the valley back to life—reinstating dynamism, diversity, and ecological abundance. Using natural, process-led techniques, the project is creating a resilient mosaic of habitats: meandering river channels, flourishing riparian areas, vibrant floodplains, wildflower-rich meadows, and pockets of wet woodland—all brimming with wildlife and better able to endure the extremes of a changing climate.
Currently in its development phase, WVLR is focused on preparing a suite of six key plans that will underpin the project for the next 20+ years: Project Management and Governance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Land Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Site Access, and Blended Finance. These plans will form the foundation for submission to Defra’s ‘Assurance’ process, securing the support needed to move into full-scale implementation. By carefully planning every element—from ecological restoration and land management to finance and community engagement—the project is building a robust framework for long-term, transformative impact.
Project location
The project covers the Wylye Valley between Norton Bavant and Steeple Langford, including the River Wylye, Chitterne Brook, and surrounding fields. It lies entirely within the Big Chalk programme area, with most of the land also falling within the Cranborne Chase National Landscape.
Contribution to Big Chalk
For centuries, the Wylye Valley has been shaped, and in parts, degraded, by dredging, straightening, and pollution, disconnecting rivers from their floodplains and threatening the valley’s unique flora and fauna. WVLR embodies the Big Chalk vision, reversing this damage on a landscape scale and creating a connected mosaic of thriving habitats.
Restored river channels, riparian zones, floodplains, meadows, and woodland pockets will work in harmony to deliver a wildlife-rich, resilient landscape. Arable fields will be enhanced with expanded field margins and new tree planting, forming stronger corridors for species to move and thrive. Landowners are at the heart of the project, co-creating solutions through the Wylye Valley Farmers network, participating in one-to-one sessions, steering group discussions, and collaborative governance.
The project also prioritises vital ecosystem services: boosting biodiversity, capturing nutrients, managing floods naturally, and storing carbon. Baseline surveys quantify these benefits, while green finance opportunities are being explored to support long-term delivery.
Public access and engagement are central. WVLR is improving footpaths, gates, and exploring virtual access to ensure everyone can connect with the valley. Engagement activities—including volunteering, education, and community days—will extend the project’s impact beyond the project boundaries, empowering communities to champion nature recovery.
Through these efforts, the Wylye Valley Landscape Recovery project exemplifies the Big Chalk ethos: uniting people, landowners, and wildlife to restore chalk landscapes, nurture biodiversity, and leave a legacy of thriving habitats for generations to come.
Do you have a project that could strengthen the future of southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes?
The Big Chalk programme brings together a dynamic suite of partner-led projects, each unique in its focus, area, and partnerships but sharing a commitment to our collective vision.
If your project contributes to the Big Chalk mission, we invite you to register it as a Big Chalk Project. Registered projects gain access to networking, shared learning, and best practice—alongside the Big Chalk brand, boosting your profile and connecting you to a powerful, growing network of partners.
Together, these projects form a united effort to secure the future of southern England’s chalk and limestone landscapes, making a lasting impact for nature and communities.