WHAT’S not to like? A vast area of farmland is being returned to the wild around Broughton.

It will take a while, but the journey along that part of the A59 will look very much different in a couple of decade’s time as the fields become forest and trees will line the sides of the roads, obscuring the current horizon.

What’s more, we have a new buzz-word - re-wilding. Returning land previously cultivated back to nature where wildlife - and human life - can thrive, where carbon dioxide will be stored and the trees’ very presence will help alleviate flooding problems further down the valley.

There are a myriad of footpaths which wend their way across this land so as the forest grows you will be able to record its progress.

Children today will be able to recollect to their own children how it once looked.

The estate says the grade 3 to 5 farmland is far more suited to nature recovery than to intensive farming.

A quick look at the Broughton Sanctuary website says once natural vegetation has established it will support small numbers of roaming grazing animals such as rare breed cattle, pigs and ponies.

This is a huge project which will change the landscape forever. Perhaps we should go and take photos of how it looks now, for posterity.