How one family returned a Spanish farm to nature

Transforming the landscape

Luke and Katie’s largely hands-off approach has changed the landscape radically. Scrub such as gorse, bramble and blackthorn now provide valuable wildlife habitat, while profuse beds of nettles buzz with insects. At the last count, 108 bird species and more than 30 different mammals – including 16 bat species – have been spotted in Wild Finca's modest 16 hectares.

“Different things pop up every year, and we can never tell what’s going to happen,” adds Luke. “Nature does as she pleases.” Although the couple allow nature to take the lead and run its course almost all of the time, the habitat is managed where beneficial. Luke is in the middle of planting 4,500 native trees, and the couple are pondering what the future of a newly acquired field in the middle of their land will hold.

“We know it’s currently good hunting habitat for red-backed shrike,” says Katie of their new patch. This bird, with its blue-grey bonnet, pirate eye patch and chestnut back, is known for spearing its prey on barbed-wire fences and thorns. “If we let the land revert to grass and scrub, it won’t suit them,” she says, thoughtfully. “So we might create a traditional hay meadow, with plenty of wildflowers.” For the moment, the field stands in stark, barren contrast to its flourishing surroundings, a reminder of the farm’s previous incarnation.

Katie and Luke aren’t working ecosystem magic here alone. To help, they’ve introduced Asturcón ponies and Casina mountain cattle – native breeds that graze and trample the land, creating a mosaic of different habitats that suit a wide variety of wildlife. The project hasn’t all been plain sailing, as can be imagined with any undertaking of this size. “We did have sheep,” says Luke, “but they trashed our ponds and ate all the wildflowers. So we replaced them with the cattle. They graze an area for a day or so, trampling and fertilising as they go, then I move them on to go elsewhere.

This type of rotational grazing is carefully planned to maximise the chance of wildflowers blooming and seeding, and to protect ground-nesting birds. Since the cattle have arrived, more orchids have bloomed where the sheep previously munched.

Luke surveys a field in which wildflowers dance in the breeze. It’s criss-crossed with flattened areas of vegetation where the cows have wandered, decorating the grass with dollops of manure. “This is exactly how I want it,” Luke nods approvingly. “Just this amount of grazing is enough.”

He then points out a small area of turned-over earth, sprouting with tiny plants including a delicate scarlet pimpernel. “Wild boar,” he explains. After these bristly beasts have rootled around in the soil, all sorts of plants appear in the bare earth. “Boars have a reputation for being destructive, yet they only ever turn over small patches at a time here,” observes Luke. “I think it’s because we don’t use fertiliser. I’ve had hunters offer to solve my wild boar problem for me – but I told them that I don’t have a problem.

Neither do the couple see wolves or foxes as a threat. Quite the opposite – all nature is welcome at Wild Finca. “Yes, they will take some livestock, if measures aren’t put in place,” say Luke. In the mountains, shepherd dogs have traditionally been used to protect sheep from these animals. But take away the predators at the top of the tree, and knock-on effects ripple out like sound waves.