FARMERS were out in force to see at first hand how they can manage their land to the benefit of wildlife and the countryside.
They visited John and Keith Siddorn's Meadow Bank Farm in Broxton, to hear about the Environmental Stewardship Scheme, which was launched in March by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and in which farmers are now being encouraged to participate.
Representatives from the demonstration's organisers ADAS and Defra's Rural Development Service, explained how landowners could attract payments for adopting a range of environmentally friendly measures to protect and enhance the countryside.
Keith Siddorn has done much already on his farm to benefit wildlife and is keen to demonstrate to the public what he has done. He regularly hosts school trips and has opened up permissive footpaths on the farm.
Under the old Countryside Stewardship Scheme arable land has been reverted back to grazing, conservation headlands have been introduced into the arable fields, some fields are left fallow in summer and ponds have been restored.
Parts of the farm have also been planted with pollen and nectar rich crops to en-courage bees, butterflies and other insects and provide food and nesting sites for birds.
This scheme has now been replaced by the Environmental Stewardship Scheme and Mr Siddorn has applied to join Entry Level Stew-ardship (ELS) to carry out additional conservation work at Meadow Bank Farm.
Examples include cutting hedges less regularly, and not between March 1 and the end of July when birds are nesting, and leaving buffer strips where no cultivation, spraying or fertilising takes place.
Mr Siddorn will also be setting up buffer zones around ponds, in-field trees and next to woodland.
'ELS is a great scheme for encouraging an increase in bird numbers on the farm,' said Andrew Gouldstone from the RSPB.
Farmers interested in attending other events in the area should contact ADAS either via e-mail at conservation@adas.co.uk or alternatively telephone the events hotline on 01954 268301.
Police in Hampshire are trying to track down the owner of a life-size stuffed toy tiger which sparked a huge alert in response to fears it was a real animal which had escaped....
Read
CHESTER Zoo's pair of royal starlings - called William and Kate in honour of Prince William and Kate Middleton - have been renamed after keepers discovered both are male....
Read
Article
