The U.K. National Trust has been working for years to return the land surrounding the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge to the way it was centuries ago. A recent acquisition of over 170 hectares will go a long way towards accomplishing that goal. "Changing the Stonehenge world heritage site to its original grassland will protect the archaeology and allow nature to thrive." Regional director Rebecca Burton went on to say, "It will mean that people will be able to experience a landscape which would have been familiar to the builders of Stonehenge." The new tracts of land include a portion of the Bronze-age route to Stonehenge from the River Avon, and six key monuments that will be protected by the purchase.



The preservation of these ancient sites is done in tandem with the desire for people to experience them through the lens of the region’s natural habitat. For the Salisbury Plain, that means reverting land impacted by modern farming back to the former chalk grasslands that once dominated. These vital habitats, found only in northwest Europe, support a diverse range of flora and fauna, many of which exist nowhere else. The restoration will create strikingly beautiful landscapes with colourful flowers. "By returning the species-rich chalk grassland we’re both making a home for nature, and ensuring that the stories this land holds will be here for everyone to discover and enjoy long into the future."