Nature
Connecting People with Nature.
Seventy percent of Nature land will be lovingly replanted or left to naturally regenerate into a breath-taking temperate rainforest.
A landscape once widespread across Britain’s western regions and now reduced to less than 1% of the UK’s land area.
The transformation began in winter 2023/24 with a pilot planting of 2,500 native trees. This was followed by 7,000 trees planted in winter 2024/25. Now, in winter 2025/26, a further 10,000 trees are being planted, with work currently underway.
Oak, rowan, alder, hazel, birch, willow and holly are steadily taking root across 30 hectares of former sheep pasture, and planting will continue in the coming seasons.
The vision is a living mosaic: around 70% tree cover interwoven with open glades, woodland rides and wildflower-rich meadows. Even in these early years, the shift away from grazing and chemical inputs is creating better conditions for moths, butterflies, bees and farmland birds. In time, the woodland will deepen into true temperate rainforest: moss-laden, layered and humid, rich in lichens, liverworts, ferns and fungi, and connected to the wider Dart Valley landscape.
The rainforest is being created through a 105-year lease held by Devon Wildlife Trust as part of The Wildlife Trusts’ national Atlantic rainforest recovery programme in partnership with Aviva. BPF is one of the programme first three projects.
Trees are locally sourced and grown, many raised from seed collected on Dartmoor, and protected with biodegradable guards.
Embedding Nature in Community
Nature sits at the heart of Bowden Pillars Future. The reforested landscape will sit perfectly alongside the regenerative housing and farmland, forming a holistic model of settlement rooted in ecological restoration.
Nature recovery will also be embedded within the village design itself, through landscape-led planning, ecological corridors, sensitive water management, and permaculture principles shaping gardens and shared spaces. This is not simply a housing development beside woodland, but a place where biodiversity, soil health and habitat creation inform every layer of design.
Tree planting days have become joyful community events. Residents and neighbours have worked alongside Devon Wildlife Trust, learning what it takes to plant a rainforest. Through the Nature Circle, future initiatives will include citizen science, seasonal monitoring and a community Bioblitz to gather biodiversity data across the village and farmland areas.
Over time, opportunities for volunteering, education and rural skills development will grow alongside the forest itself.
Reimagining the Quarry
A small quarry just off Maudlin Road forms another part of the long-term vision. Early consultations are exploring how this space might evolve into a community asset for Totnes, shaped with care, ecological sensitivity and imagination, offering benefit to individuals and families while respecting the wider landscape.
Nature Journal
