The Church of England’s General Synod voted against a motion calling for the institution to rewild 30% of its land by 2030. The motion, introduced by Rev Canon Val Plumb, an area dean in Oxford, sought to align the church’s practices with an international commitment made by the UK and over 100 other countries to restore 30% of land for nature by the same year.
The church owns approximately 42,500 hectares of land, making it one of England’s largest landowners. However, only 3.5% of its property is currently designated for nature restoration efforts. Rather than approving Plumb’s specific target, the synod passed an alternative amendment introduced by Right Rev Graham Usher, the lead bishop for the environment. This revised motion outlines six steps including continued support for nature restoration projects “where appropriate” and engagement with tenants regarding sustainable farming practices, but does not establish measurable rewilding benchmarks.
Opposition to the original motion centered on concerns about the church’s legal obligations. William Nye, secretary general of the archbishops’ council, stated that the rewilding commitment would conflict with the institution’s responsibility to ensure “long-term capital growth.” The Church Commissioners emphasized that approximately 90% of their farmland portfolio consists of productive agricultural land, and their approach focuses on integrating nature recovery into working landscapes while supporting food production and rural business resilience.
Environmental advocates criticized the decision as a missed opportunity for moral leadership. Claire Rogers, a campaigner with Wild Card, noted that numerous large countries had endorsed the 30by30 target for environmental reasons. She also referenced that other major landowners, including the Crown Estate, have committed to managing 36% of their land for nature by 2030. The Church’s decision came shortly after the government released its own 30by30 strategy, which environmental groups characterized as inadequate given current biodiversity challenges.
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