The Church of England’s General Synod rejected a proposal to rewild 30% of the denomination’s landholdings by 2030, opting instead for an alternative approach without specific numerical targets.
Rev Canon Val Plumb introduced the motion to the national assembly, which would have committed the church to the “30by30” goal—a restoration target that the UK and over 100 other nations have pledged to meet. The church owns approximately 42,500 hectares of land, currently with just 3.5% dedicated to nature restoration. Plumb’s proposal was blocked on Tuesday, replaced by an amendment sponsored by Right Rev Graham Usher, the church’s lead bishop for the environment. The alternative motion commits the denomination to steps including continued support for nature restoration projects “where appropriate” and collaboration with tenants on sustainable farming practices, but establishes no measurable rewilding commitments.
Church leadership cited financial and legal considerations in opposing the specific target. William Nye, secretary general of the archbishops’ council, stated that Plumb’s motion conflicted with the church’s obligations to maintain “long-term capital growth.” Church commissioners emphasized that approximately 90% of their farmland holdings are productive agricultural land, stating their priority is integrating nature recovery within working landscapes while supporting food production and rural business resilience.
Environmental advocates expressed disappointment with the decision. Claire Rogers, a campaigner with Wild Card, a citizens’ movement focused on rewilding among major UK landowners, characterized the outcome as a missed opportunity for moral leadership. She noted that over 190 nations committed to the 30by30 target, which scientists consider the minimum threshold to arrest global biodiversity decline.
Other substantial UK landowners have established measurable conservation targets. The Crown Estate, for example, has committed to managing 36% of its holdings for nature by 2030. England currently has approximately 7% of land meeting 30by30 criteria, according to government assessments released earlier in the week.
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