Farm events to demonstrate benefits of improved scheme
25 January 2010
A series of events on farms across Somerset this February are aiming to demonstrate to farmers and land managers what the Entry Level Environmental Stewardship scheme has to offer.
During these events which will include a farm walk, participants will hear firsthand from other farmers who already have an existing agreement how the scheme fits in with their day to day on-farm practices. Participants will also learn about recent enhancements to the scheme including details of new available options.
Farm walks will be led by Claire Kingston of Laurence Gould Partnership Ltd who have joined forces with Natural England to organize the series of events. Events will be taking place on farms in Banwell, Ston Easton, Priddy, Pilton and Crewkerne. The host farms have been chosen to be representative of the agricultural systems within the county in order to give a flavour of how the scheme fit around any commercial farming activity.
Helen Merchant, a Land Management Advisory Specialist with Natural England said: “Environmental Stewardship is an agri-environment scheme which provides funding to farmers and other land managers to conserve and enhance the natural environment on their farms without compromising their ability to farm productively. The Entry Level part of the scheme is non competitive and applicants receive a flat rate payment of £30/hectare in return for delivering simple environmental land management and meeting scheme conditions.”
Details of these and all Natural England’s other farm events in the South West can be found at; www.naturalengland.org.uk/regions/south_west/events
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Numbers on Environmental Stewardship farm events are limited so farmers are advised to reserve a place in advance by phoning the event booking line on 0113 230 3753 or emailing farmevents@naturalengland.org.uk, leaving details of their name, full postal address and holding number. Other Environmental Stewardship farm events are being planned in the South West for 2010 and those wishing to register an interest for these can do so on the same phone number and email address.
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Notes to Editors
1. Environmental Stewardship Farm walks in Somerset during February 2010
3rd February - Flagstaff Farm, Whitley Road, Banwell BS29 6NA - 2.00pm-5.00pm
5th February - Whitchurch Farm, Easton BA3 4DN - 2.00pm-5.00pm
9th February - Priddy Hill Farm, Priddy BA5 3BR - 2.00pm-5.00pm
10th February - Steanbow Farm, Pilton BA4 4EH - 11.00am-2.00pm 1
1th February - Hill Farm, Coombe Farms, Crewkerne, TA11 8RR - 11.00am-2.00pm
Whitchurch Farm, Ston Easton has a 200 head of dairy herd with followers. The 600-acre farm also produces cereals for forage and includes over 35 acres of woodland. It has been in Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) since December 2008 although the land has been farmed in an environmentally beneficial way for generations. On entering the ELS, options were chosen to both suit the farming business and also compliment and make best use of the land. Options include overwintered stubbles, low input grassland, areas of wild birdseed mixture, field corner management (taking unproductive, shallow soils out of production) and maintenance of in-field tree options on the farm. Tree planting at Whitchurch Farm utilises shallow, stony, unproductive soils while providing future fuel supply and carbon sequestration.
Hill Farm part of Coombe Farms near Crewkerne has around 350 Holstein Friesian milking cows, calving all year round. The 1150-acre farm is organic mainly down to red and white clover leys on light-medium clay loam. Other crops grown include winter wheat, triticale and fodder beet. The farm entered the Organic Entry Level Scheme in November 2005. This has enabled them to further enhance the natural environment of the farm by taking out areas of land from agricultural production to provide beetle banks, improve existing hedgerows and plant out field corners with native trees to create small areas of woodland.
2. Environmental Stewardship
Environmental Stewardship (ES) is designed to build on the recognised success of the Environmentally Sensitive Areas scheme and the Countryside Stewardship scheme. Its primary objectives are to:
• Conserve wildlife
• Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
• Protect the historic environment and natural resources
• Promote public access and understanding of the countryside
• Protect natural resources
It also has the secondary objectives of:
• Genetic conservation
• Flood management
Environmental Stewardship has three elements:
• Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) provides a straightforward approach to supporting the good stewardship of the countryside through simple and effective land management. It is open to all farmers and landowners. Natural England are introducing the 3rd edition of the Entry Level Stewardship handbook at the beginning of February 2010. New options will be available to choose from which will make it easier for farmers to reach the necessary points required for a successful application.
• Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) is the organic strand of ELS. It is geared to organic and organic/conventional mixed farming systems and is open to all farmers not receiving Organic Farming Scheme aid.
• Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) concentrates on the more complex types of management where land managers need advice and support and where agreements will be tailored to local circumstances. HLS applications will assessed against specific local targets and agreements will be offered where they meet these targets and represent good value for money.
In 2009 all agri-environment schemes, of which Environmental Stewardship is one element, put approximately £87 million into the South West regional economy. There are currently 15,296 live agri-environment agreements in the region which represents almost a quarter of all agreements throughout England. 62% or 1.2 million hectares of land in the South West is under agreement.
For further information about Environmental Stewardship visit: http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/es
3. Natural England
Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. It conserves and enhances the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. For more information visit; www.naturalengland.org.uk
4. For more details, images and interviews please contact; Martin Gershon, Communications Specialist on 07900 608 364 or email: martin.gershon@naturalengland.org.uk
