Last month marked an important milestone in our juniper rewilding project. Twenty-five homegrown juniper saplings left the safety of our botanical garden and began a new chapter on the Wiltshire Downs. Working alongside the Great Bustard Conservation Group, the young plants were carefully relocated to suitable sites where they can establish themselves and become part of the landscape for generations to come.
Juniper is one of Britain's most iconic native shrubs, yet it has suffered significant declines across much of the country. Disease, habitat loss, grazing pressure and changing land use have all contributed to shrinking populations. In some areas, natural regeneration has almost stopped entirely, making active conservation essential if the species is to survive.
The importance of juniper extends far beyond its famous role in gin production. It is a keystone species that supports a wide range of wildlife. Its dense evergreen structure provides shelter for birds including goldcrests, linnets and woodcock. Its berries provide food for mammals and birds, while its foliage supports specialist insects and several rare moth species.
Healthy juniper populations also contribute to wider ecosystem resilience. Their root systems help stabilise fragile chalk soils, reducing erosion and improving water retention. As long-lived plants, they also capture and store carbon, contributing in a small but meaningful way to tackling climate change.
For us, the project represents more than conservation. Juniper sits at the heart of every gin we produce, making it fitting that we play a role in protecting its future. Growing the saplings ourselves allows us to connect spirit production directly with landscape restoration.
The twenty-five plants now growing on the Downs join the other juniper groves we have helped establish across Wiltshire. With luck, careful management and a little patience, they will mature over the coming decades, producing berries, supporting wildlife and helping restore a species that once thrived across Britain's chalk landscapes.
