A lot of of the Charity’s work is dedicated to the management and conservation of some 170 acres of wonderful landscape around Walberswick village. 
Much of this has been focused on the Common - the large NW area shown in red on the map below - but all of the Charity's land is actively looked after.

ES Update January 2026
So, the weather continues to be noteworthy and to influence the cycles of nature across WCLC land and beyond. Many plants need cold weather for reproduction and good growth. Human decisions and actions, of course, abound whatever the weather and often put a strain on these ecosystems. 
LionLink, for example, will directly pass beneath WCLC land as it snakes under the sand dunes near the beginning of its’ land trek. Indirectly, the impact of noise, light, and general disturbance during the construction phase will be destructive too.
However, human activity also strives to replicate bygone scenarios to maintain valuable ecosystems and the lowland heath is a great example of this. A key feature is the ploughing of bare ground, promoting biodiversity by creating varied conditions for annual plants such as harebell, sheep’s sorrel, and heath bedstraw and rare invertebrates such as the lunar yellow underwing moth. 
This year there will be a mosaic of bare earth patches; some 2 years old, some half re-ploughed, and some new this year, to replicate the actions of rabbits and cattle of times past.
The contractors are probably on site as you read this. Let’s hope the weather is kind to them!
Vanessa Tucker
 

              

For well over 15 years we have worked in partnership with Natural England under a Countryside Stewardship Agreement, renewed from January 2024. This agreement ensures that t

Stewardshiphe Charity is able to continue its environmental work until at least 2028.

The vast majority of this work is devoted to improving the diversity of habitat on the Common. Our aim here is to provide a mosaic of vegetation which allows all heathland features to flourish, including pioneer heath and bare ground which benefits rarer invertebrates, birds, reptiles and plants. In recent years, nightjars and nightingales returned to the Common and there have been at least five calling male nightjars - an unusual and distinctive churring trill.
If cattle or sheep were able to roam freely across the Common as they did many years ago, the more invasive species would be kept in check and a greater diversity of vegetation maintained. But nowadays the number of walkers with dogs would mean that any livestock would have to be fenced in. That would then destroy the free-roaming, unenclosed nature of the landscape which is the essence of a Common.