Naturalist and TV presenter Chris Packham (Image: Getty)
Chris Packham has demanded that the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Church of England “practise what they preach” by protecting nature.
The TV presenter wants the Church to commit to rewilding 30% of their 105,000 acre estate by 2030.
The Conservationist took to the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral, dressed in a medieval costume and “rewilded” bonnet, unveiled a nine-metre long scroll containing a collection of arguments as to why the Church should rewild their landholdings.
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Mr Packham said: “The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the Church’s wealthy investment arm – The Church Commissioners – are failing all things bright and beautiful.
“Despite the Archbishop recently stating that ‘God is green, and He calls on us to be green’, the majority of the Church Commissioners’ land is in a dire ecological condition. As one of the biggest institutional landowners in one of the world’s most nature depleted countries, the Church should be a leader in restoring our precious wildlife.
“The Archbishop and the Church Commissioners, including the Bishop of the Environment, have declined our many attempts to discuss how they can rewild their vast estate. We hope the immense support on display today, which is championed by many in the Church, will help to convince Church leaders to step up to the pulpit.
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“If they are willing to practise what they preach they could rewild just a third of their land, which would equate to an area 90 times the size of Hyde Park, and give British wildlife the salvation that it desperately needs.”
Contributions to the 95 Wild Theses, a twist on the original 95 Theses by Martin Luther that kick started the protestant reformation, have been gathered from nearly 100 public figures.
These include: Former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, former Secretary of State Michael Gove, broadcaster, actor and writer Stephen Fry, chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas.
Paul Jaffe, head of sustainability, real assets for the Church Commissioners, said: “While large-scale rewilding is not appropriate for our highly productive farmland, we are deeply committed to supporting nature through a range of initiatives.
“We focus on sustainable farming practices, collaborate with organisations like the RSPB and FWAG, and actively integrate biodiversity projects, such as woodland creation and wetland restoration, across our portfolio.
“Our approach ensures we balance food production with stewardship of the land, helping to safeguard nature for future generations.”
The organisation said it has a legal obligation under charity law to use its assets in a way that generates market returns.
It added that the entirety of its approximately 82,000-acre farmland portfolio is leased to farming tenants, many of whom are from are multi-generational farming families with long-term leases.
The Commissioners also said it is committed to implementing sustainable farming practices across its farmland portfolio, working with tenants and green groups to implement regenerative farming and support biodiversity.
Meanwhile, its 88,000-acre forest portfolio has been independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as adhering to strict environmental, social, and economic standards, it added.