The Campaign for the Farmed Environment publish set of 'how to'
leaflets
Farmers who want to deliver specific environmental achievements
on their land, from increasing bird populations to protecting
historic buildings, are to be given extra support and advice
through four new Campaign for the Farmed Environment leaflets. Each
offer advice on the best Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) options to
choose in order to ensure specific environmental results. The
leaflets are a response to feedback from farmers who say they would
like to make more informed choices about how they contribute to
conservation. Farm advisers and agronomists will also find them a
useful resource when they are going into more detail about the
campaign’s voluntary measures and the ELS options that count
towards the campaign achieving its targets.
Produced by Natural England, in conjunction with the Campaign
for the Farmed Environment (CFE) and a number of partner
organisations, they are aimed at farmers joining ELS or renewing
existing agreements. They include a map suggesting optimum farm
locations for the ELS options. Safeguarding the environmental
benefits of the old set-aside scheme is the main aim of the
Campaign for the Farmed Environment, and uptake of ELS is an
important element in achieving this. The four leaflets are;
Farming for Birds
Since the mid-1970s, there has been a steep fall in the
country’s farmland bird populations, with many declining by more
than 50%. The leaflet, produced with experts from Natural England,
the RSPB, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and Farming and
Wildlife Advisory Group, aims to reverse that by generating nesting
habitat, winter seed food and insect-rich foraging for ten of the
“most wanted” farmland birds: grey partridge, lapwing, turtle dove,
skylark, yellow wagtail, tree sparrow, linnet, yellowhammer, reed
bunting and corn bunting.
Farming for Farm Wildlife
Wildlife is an indicator of a healthy natural environment. Yet
the last 30 years have seen declines in certain farm wildlife, with
loss of farmland flowers and many insect and animal species.
Planting nectar mixes instead of grass margins can attract bees,
while buffering ditches and ponds provides habitat for bats, newts
and water voles.
Farming for Cleaner Water and Healthier Soil
Soil and water are as essential for farmers and their business
as they are for the wider public, which rely on them for clean
water, leisure and climate change mitigation. Land management that
reduces soil erosion and run-off, buffers watercourses with grass,
and excludes livestock from watercourses improves water
quality.
Farming for the Historic Environment
Every farm and estate in England has played its part in the
nation’s history and many have irreplaceable archaeological
features or buildings. The leaflet, produced with English Heritage,
describes how treasures on and below the surface can be protected
by reducing cultivation depth, creating buffer strips or taking
land out of cultivation.
The leaflets are available to download at
the Natural
England website and will also be available at Natural England
events and from the CFE partner organisations.
Further leaflets, aimed at farmers joining the
soon-to-be-launched Uplands ELS, are due to be published shortly.
For more details on the CFE visit www.cfeonline.org.uk. For
further information on ELS events go to www.naturalengland.org.uk/farmevents.