Knepp’s team celebrates International Women’s Day

Saturday 8 March is International Women’s Day, and Knepp’s team have drawn inspiration from women all over the world.

An Indian biologist who spurred a movement to protect an overlooked species… an American restauranteur pioneering the use of organic ingredients… an Essex-born gardener dedicated to sustainability… a journalist working with integrity and tenacity… an innovator using botanical illustration to make the case for a wilder world…

Here’s who inspired Isabella Tree, Ned Burrell and others at Knepp.

Isabella Tree, Knepp co-founder and author of Wilding

“Storks are close to my heart with our white stork reintroduction at Knepp which has been hugely popular (see our live stork cam!). Unfortunately, not all storks get such a warm welcome.

“My hero is Dr Purnima Devi Barman who has brought the greater adjutant stork back from the brink of extinction in Assam. It’s not a pretty bird – a Jurassic-looking scavenger that hangs out in rubbish tips. It was reviled and considered a bad omen. But thanks to a dynamic campaign masterminded by Dr Barman involving 20,000 local rural women known as ‘Stork Sisters’ who safeguard their nests, the greater adjutant has been rebranded and is now loved. Numbers have quadrupled to more than 1,800 and the bird is out of danger.

“Dr Barman is now expanding her campaign to Cambodia and the state of Bihar to cover the two remaining breeding grounds of the stork. She won the Whitley Gold Award last year. I love her from afar and long to meet her!”

Charlie Harpur, head gardener

“I manage and develop the gardens at Knepp, including our big experiment in garden biodiversity in the Rewilded Walled Garden.

“I will always take a lot of inspiration from the life and work of Beth Chatto, who passed away in 2018. Not only was she a fellow Colcestrian, but (more importantly) she was a pioneer in sustainable gardening and plantsmanship, and way ahead of her time. Beth popularised the fundamental ethos of ‘right plant, right place’, which is the foundation on which modern gardening is built and is constantly in our minds as we manage the gardens at Knepp.

“The Beth Chatto Gardens near Colchester were crafted out of what was thought to be un-workable land: a spectrum of dry, sun-baked gravel to boggy hollow. But since 1960, Beth trialled and planted each seemingly challenging condition with unusual plants which have adapted to similar natural environments to create a thriving, ecologically diverse and beautiful garden.

“The un-irrigated Gravel Garden is iconic as an early test-bed of drought-resistant planting and adapting to a changing climate, and the basis for one of her many books in which she shares her deep understanding of plants. Beth was passionate about inspiring, educating and promoting enjoyment and wellbeing for all through gardens, setting up The Beth Chatto Education Trust for these aims in 2015.”

Anna Ford, communications lead

“A lot of women have inspired me professionally, like Prof Katharine Hayhoe, whose book Saving Us pioneers a way to get people talking about climate change, and like Prof Alice Roberts, who makes complex science compelling.

“Kate Adie was an early inspiration, via her autobiography The Kindness of Strangers. Her truth-seeking and story-telling wouldn’t have been possible without the relationships she took care to build.

“Perhaps, in what is evidently still a man’s world, the most powerful inspiration of all has been Mishal Husain, whose integrity and tenacity proves that the serious business of news-telling can be done brilliantly without performative antler-clashing. I think that’s such an important message for all professional communicators. Her book The Skills is a must-read.”

Ned Burrell, chef and director

“Chef, activist, and founder of the iconic restaurant Chez Panisse, Alice Waters has been a driving force behind the farm-to-table movement. Long before it became mainstream, Alice championed the idea that food should be local, seasonal, and sustainably sourced – not just for its flavour, but for the health of our communities and the planet.

“Her belief that food is a powerful tool for social and environmental change resonates deeply with me.

“At Knepp Wilding Kitchen, we share her commitment to working with the land – celebrating ingredients grown and raised with care. Alice’s vision continues to inspire how I think about food: as a way to connect people to nature and to each other.”

Sylvie More, safari manager

“Wangari Maathai was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Her grass-roots, hands-on environmental activism has helped lift women out of poverty in Africa.  Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement which has planted an estimated 45 million trees around Kenya, empowering local women to plant trees in critical watersheds to improve soil fertility and support essential water sources. By creating a source of employment she found a way to counter the negative consequences of environmental degradation on Kenya’s rural poor, allowing them to lift themselves out of poverty and improve their local environment and health. 

“Her work demonstrates that individuals can make a difference. A year after she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, I first started working in sub-Saharan Africa. Wangari Maathai’s ethos really inspires me not to give up in the face of the climate and ecological catastrophes; we can empower others, show them the way. I feel that is what Knepp is doing as a pioneer of rewilding.”

Lia Brazier, creative director

“The woman who has most inspired me is Margaret Mee, a true pioneer in botanical illustration and conservation. In the 1950s, she embarked on expeditions into the Amazon rainforest, where she documented rare and endangered plants through her beautifully detailed artwork. Her work not only captured the beauty of these plants but also raised awareness about the fragility of one of the world’s most vital ecosystems. Beyond her art, Margaret was an outspoken advocate for environmental preservation at a time when such concerns were often overlooked.

“Her ability to use art as a tool for environmental activism continues to inspire me. Like Margaret, I believe that art has the power to communicate the urgency of protecting our natural world. She serves as a reminder of the profound impact one person can have on both art and conservation.”