Dunsany Castle in County Meath, Ireland, the seat of the Baron of Dunsany.
Modern peersat least those who still possess their ancestral landsmust decide how to continue this legacy.
One young Irish baron is taking an ancient commitment to land stewardship seriously.
Dunsany Castle in County Meath, Ireland, the seat of the Baron of Dunsany. (Photo: Tim Wilson viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 2.0)
Plunkett is the latest in a long line of Barons of Dunsany who have occupied Dansany castle since 1402.
The 38-year-old studied filmmaking and was originally uninterested in continuing the farming traditions of the estate.
Rewilding refers to ceasing cultivation and letting land go back to nature.
Gate of Dunsany Castle in County Meath, Ireland. (Photo: C O’Flanagan viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 2.0)
According to the United Nations, the worldmust heavily rewildby an area the size of China.
This will help reverse biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse.
TheEuropean Rewilding Networkadvocates for this mission in Europe.
Photo: PHOTO.RIGG.AT/DepositPhotos
With rewilding, species return that often have not been seen in an area for decades.
After letting his land revert to its natural state, Plunkett noticed pronounced changes.
The estate now boasts 23 kinds of grass, whereas before only three types existed.
I see a lot of saplings growing that I havent planted, headmits.
Woodpeckers, barn owls, and butterflies enjoy this ecosystem now.
To learn more about rewilding efforts, check outRewilding Europe.
Gate of Dunsany Castle in County Meath, Ireland.
