Story inspired by groundbreaking bison rewilding project to launch

A children’s book inspired by the Wilder Blean Project, an initiative that involves free-roaming bison acting as ecosystem engineers in Canterbury, Kent will launch on Thursday 4th July 2024.

 

‘The Bison and the Butterfly’, written by the award-winning and New York Times bestselling children’s author Alice Hemming and illustrated by Nancy Leschnikoff, tells the story of Bison, who is sad and lonely but after an encounter with a wise woodpecker and other creatures in the woodland, her life is changed forever! It is a story about friends in nature and the nature of friendship and was created to inspire young people about our natural world. 

In preparation for the book, Alice spent time with the children at Herne Bay Infant School who offered their ideas and suggestions for the story through interactive workshops. 

To support the book’s launch, over the coming weeks, activities will be available to young nature lovers, from special storytelling sessions and writing workshops with the author at the free Wilder Blean Festival, to summer family events including a Bison and Butterfly activity trail at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and Tyland Barn in Maidstone.  

Work is also underway to open a story trail at the home of the bison, West Blean and Thorden Woods, giving young visitors to the woodland the opportunity of an interactive experience, using audio posts. 

 

 

Explaining her inspiration behind the book, author Alice Hemming said: “I’ve always paid close attention to news stories about wilding and conservation and the Wilder Blean project is just fascinating. Children really care about environmental issues and books are a great place for them to find out more in a fun way. Also, I’ve never seen a picture book with a bison character before.”

Head of Education and Lifelong Learning at Kent Wildlife Trust Lee Mason-Baldwin said: “The Wilder Blean Project and wider landscape initiative give us all reasons to be hopeful for the future and is a much-needed good news story in what can feel like a bleak landscape. 

“We must inspire young people to champion the environment, after all, we will be handing them the baton of responsibility to protect our natural world as they grow. However, it is also important we give them reason for hope and tackle the eco-anxiety we know many young people face. ‘The Bison and the Butterfly’ does this through its uplifting storytelling of friendship and rewilding. 

“A percentage of sales from the book will be donated to the charity, and the launch is supported by a wider education programme and activity pack. We hope it will be the first step that children take to set them on a lifelong journey that ignites their passion for nature.”

Photo by Robert Canis.

About the Wilder Blean Project

 

History was made in July 2022 when free-roaming bison were first introduced into West Blean and Thornden Woods. On the same day as the climate champions took their first steps into the woodland, temperatures soared past 40 degrees in the UK. 

The bison release was made possible through a partnership between the charities Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust with the release phase funded through the People’s Postcode Lottery Dream Fund. 

The bison act as ecosystem engineers and are used as a Nature-based Solution to woodland management. Through their natural behaviours such as debarking trees and dustbathing they create space for other species to thrive. 

Since their arrival in the woodland, the founding member of three now stands at six with a surprise calf born in September 2022, the arrival of the bull in December 2023 and the first calf to be conceived and born in the Blean taking place in December 2023. 

  • You can purchase the Bison and the Butterfly here 
  • Click here for more about author Alice Hemming 
  • You can find out more about the Wilder Blean Project here 

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