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Severed Title Rights

Owning the freehold does not mean you own the ecosystem. Severed rights can fatally undermine natural capital projects.

Sporting Rights

In upland Britain, sporting rights (the right to shoot game) are frequently separated from the surface freehold. If a third party holds the sporting rights over your land, you cannot unilaterally introduce a woodland creation scheme if they claim it interferes with their grouse or pheasant shooting.

Right Type Impact on Rewilding Mitigation
Sporting (Shooting)Severe (Veto over land use change)Negotiate buy-out or concurrent lease
Mineral (Mining)Moderate (Unlikely to be exercised, but ruins BNG covenants)Title indemnity insurance
Common GrazingSevere (Cannot control herbivore density)Avoid common land entirely

If you cannot control herbivore density, you cannot rewild. Use the Herbivore Density Calculator to understand the tight tolerances required.