World's First Nature Reserve Given Protection by Historic England
A parkland in West Yorkshire, thought to be the world’s first nature reserve, has been registered at Grade II by Historic England, giving it greater protection and recognition.
Waterton Park, near Wakefield, once belonged to pioneering 19th century naturalist Charles Waterton, who inherited it in 1805 from his father as part of the family estate at Walton Hall. An innovative and committed nature conservationist, he transformed the park into a haven for native and migratory species, particularly birds.
This is the first known example of a landscape designed to protect wildlife and occurred at a time when, in contrast, England’s parkland was used mainly for game shooting, which relied on the elimination of swathes of native fauna.
Waterton introduced a new management regime at the park to minimise the disturbance to native wildlife. He stopped neighbouring keepers and their dogs from entering during nesting season, banned fishing in the lake between late autumn and early May, and forbade shooting.
In 1821, Waterton built a high boundary wall (newly listed at Grade II) to keep out foxes and poachers. The completed stone wall was over 3 miles long and took 5 years to complete.
Waterton took immense pleasure in watching wildlife and built various watch towers so he could observe birdlife in comfort. He also actively encouraged the public to visit the park for free and connect with nature. Visitors included mental asylum patients who came to the park as part of their treatment.
Charles Waterton was a true visionary who recognised both the value of protecting wildlife and the powerful link between nature and our wellbeing. With Waterton Park, he created a protype for the modern nature reserve, where wildlife and humans can exist in harmony for their mutual benefit.
