David Mills MBE

Trustee

David Mills has owned land in the hamlet of Newchapel in Surrey for almost 50 years. Formerly a dairy farmer with an award-winning Venn herd of pedigree Jersey cows, David decided to convert his farm into a centre of “Conservation through Education” in 1994 and three years later, the British Wildlife Centre was born.

The centre’s main focus is teaching children to appreciate Britain’s native wild species and encourage them to grow a life-long interest in its conservation.

The British Wildlife Centre is the largest breeder of red squirrels in the UK and along with the CRT, David has been instrumental in implementing release programmes to grey squirrel-free islands, which now have thriving colonies of red squirrels.

David was made an MBE in the 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours list for his services to wildlife conservation.

Please make a donation today so the CRT can continue to restore a living, working countryside...

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£100 Helps with the cost of providing habitats for a range of farmland wildlife.

£50 Allows our conservation team to spend an afternoon monitoring the success of the CRT community’s activities.

£20 Provides our volunteers with resources to complete essential conservation tasks.

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Latest

Bluebell Walk at Margaret Wood

Enjoy a beautiful walk at Margaret Wood, marvelling at the fabulous bluebells. Stay for a tea, cake and chat afterwards with our amazing team of volunteers.
Meet the Trotters... Bere Marsh Farm’s two new boars Del Boy and Rodders!

Two new residents have made their home at Bere Marsh Farm in Dorset and are already squealing with excitement and busy rootling around.
Withie beds provide new habitats for wildlife

Thanks to money raised in our Twelve Gifts of Christmas campaign, we were thrilled to buy new withies to plant in our osier beds at Bere Marsh Farm. These willows will help provide important habitat for wildlife.
Exploring Bere Marsh Farm

Jenny Ashdown plays a key conservation role at Bere Marsh Farm. Here she talks us through the key areas of the farm and explains the important habitat each section provides and how our land is managed for the benefit of wildlife.

Thank you to trustees everywhere

It is Trustees’ Week, and we’d like to take a moment, not only to thank all the Countryside Regeneration Trust’s trustees, but all the trustees around the United Kingdom that give up their time to make a difference to a cause of their choosing.
Introducing our new Chair

Highly experienced ecologist, land management adviser and self-confessed ‘doer’, Sue Everett, has taken on the role of Chair of the CRT’s Board of Trustees, as Nicholas Watts MBE becomes our charity's President.
A Prince at Lark Rise

On the eve of King Charles' Coronation, we look back at his two visits to Lark Rise Farm.
A step in the right direction

With new, nature-friendly farming incentives and an Environmental Improvement Plan from the UK Government, we discuss whether agriculture is at a turning point.
Regional ELMS co-ordinators should be provided by Defra

One of the biggest issues for farmers engaging with the Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) is Defra providing the right initial and ongoing support so farmers can understand and utilise them fully, says the Countryside Regeneration Trust.
Regenerative farming aids drought-hit crop

The current heatwave is popular with weekend BBQ-lovers, but the knock-on effect of it could force food prices even higher as UK farmers struggle to keep crops alive, says the CRT.
ELMs can be a watershed moment for British farming

You may have come across the acronym ELMs, as this is a hot topic in the farming world, but do you know why these schemes are likely to mark a moment of decisive change in British farming?
David Mills MBE receives honorary fellowship

CRT Trustee David Mills MBE has been awarded an honorary fellowship by the University of Winchester in recognition of his conservation work.
Sue Everett

Chair of the Board Trustees
Nicholas Watts MBE

Trustee

School trips on the farm
Volunteer with the CRT

Would you like to help wildlife and do your bit to create a landscape bursting with life? To enjoy quiet time connecting with nature to benefit your wellbeing, or to get stuck into exciting conservation projects with a friendly team? To learn new skills or develop existing ones? Whatever motivates you to consider volunteering, we’d love to have you in our team.
What We Do

The CRT promotes nature-friendly farming to help reverse biodiversity decline and combat climate change. We believe nature is integral to good farming and we protect, promote and regenerate our land and all life on it. We put our philosophy into practice on over 2,000 acres of working farms, small-holdings and woodland across England.
Slow-worms – the gardener’s best friend

The UK has 6 native reptile species including the curious slow-worm (Anguis fragilis). Although serpent-like in appearance, slow-worms are in fact limbless lizards and an amazing example of de-evolution.
Conservation Volunteer

This is your chance to get 'down and dirty' to help CRT improve the habitats and environment on our farms, with a wide range of conservation projects and initiatives.
Wildlife & Farms

To achieve our vision of a living, working countryside we have purchased 18 sites across the UK, each with their own unique ecosystem and biodiversity.
Bere Marsh Farm

Mixed farmland, Dorset
Robin Page

Co-Founder
David Mills MBE

Trustee
Regenerative Farming & CRT

Since our inception we have been working tirelessly to achieve our vision of a living, working countryside, and that is not changing, but in a world that’s in its sixth mass extinction we must evolve to fight this threat.