Wilder Blean Bison Project recognised as a 2025 Changemaker by Big Issue

The Wilder Blean Bison Project, a trailblazing wilding initiative led by Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust, has been recognised as one of the Big Issue’s top Changemakers of 2025.

This innovative project, which reintroduced European bison to the UK in July 2022, was nominated after Bison Ranger Hannah Mackins spoke to Big Issue in December. In her interview, Hannah shared her experiences managing the UK's only wild bison herd and highlighted their role as a nature-based solution to woodland management, boosting biodiversity and building resilience against climate change.

The herd, released during a record-breaking heatwave with temperatures exceeding 40°C, has since been actively transforming Blean Woods. Their grazing and natural behaviours create light and space on the forest floor, enabling other species to flourish.

The project has also celebrated a significant milestone with the birth of four bison calves, contributing to the conservation of this once nearly extinct species. Meanwhile, construction of the UK’s first-ever "bison bridges" is nearing completion, expanding the herd's roaming area to 200 hectares of ancient woodland to further enhance their ecological impact.

Bison Ranger Hannah Mackins says:
“It was a wonderful surprise for our project to be featured as a Changemaker of 2025. We are delighted that the bison continue to inspire and stand as a positive good news nature story. This project demonstrates that we can think differently about conservation and create a better future for our planet.”

Hannah’s article can be viewed online here with beautiful bison imagery captured by Wildwood Trust’s Bison Ranger Donovan Wright.