A TOTAL of 24 hectares of woodland within the northern fields at Heal in Somerset are set to be regenerated - thanks in part to generous funding from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

This partnership has contributed £166,430 to restore Heal’s northern fields. This funding will support the area's recovery from ecological depletion and bring back abundant wildlife to this peaceful, restorative place that began its journey to healing last year.

SSEN, the distribution network operator for central southern England, has recently become a founding partner and the first utility company to support the Projects for Nature platform. This platform connects the company with nature recovery projects within its license areas.

As a pioneering supporter of Projects for Nature, SSEN is involved in a platform uniting businesses, environmental NGOs, and the UK Government. Endorsed by DEFRA, Natural England, and the Environment Agency, it showcases vetted nature projects and simplifies business involvement in nature recovery. 

The 2023 State of Nature report concludes the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. One in seven of the UK’s native species is facing extinction, while two-fifths are seeing their populations decline.

SSEN Distribution’s managing director, Chris Burchell, said: “SSEN is fortunate to work in many of the UK’s most precious natural environments. This is a privilege – and it’s also a big responsibility.” 

“We already have significant measures in place to protect and enhance the natural environment around us, and our early support of this initiative is seeing us give further meaningful support to natural habitats in the communities we serve.”

Heal Rewilding’s chair of trustees, Jan Stannard, said: “We’re delighted to receive this generous and transformative support from SSEN through Projects for Nature. Our Heal Somerset site is one year into its journey of recovery towards a rich mosaic of woodland, scrub, grassland, bare earth, and wetlands, where wildlife can find sanctuary and thrive.

“This vital funding will enable us to accelerate the recovery of our Northern Fields, enabling us to ring-fence the land so that we can manage the impact of deer on the regenerating vegetation and bring in our ‘ecosystem engineers’ – pigs, cattle, and ponies – over the next few years.”

The Chairperson of Projects for Nature, Justin Francis, said:: “We’re thrilled to welcome SSEN as a founding business partner of Projects for Nature. SSEN’s 1.5-degree science-based target underpins its environmental action plan, and we greatly appreciate how they’re extending their environmental commitment to support vital projects."