Projects funded by the
Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme

Hampshire Dormouse Project

Funding from the programme has allowed around 60 sites to be monitored by the Test Valley Dormouse project – run by FWAGSE (Farming and Wildlife Advice Group).  Video footage was also obtained to enthuse the public about dormice. Using small tunnels and non-harmful ink (see photo) they can capture dormouse ‘footprints’ and thus evidence of dormice activity.   The farmer on whose land the hedge is located is informed and they are given advice on how to improve all their hedges for dormice.   It is known that dormice prefer hedges with a wide base and plenty of vegetation.

Recent follow on funding will allow the team to further analyse the dormouse location data and also advise the farmers on good hedgerow management and the potential for new hedgerows – to improve connectivity between sites and increase habitat areas.  By focussing on one species, the project is helping to improve our landscape and biodiversity more generally, by improving the extent and quality of hedges.

Facilities for school visits on a mixed farm

We have been excited to help Lucy Tyler, a dairy and arable farmer near Calne on the western edge of the North Wessex Downs. She attended a LEAF/CEVAS course to learn how host schools safely and support the national curriculum, which she found extremely useful.  Alongside that we have been able to support facilities on her farm to improve school visits. We part-funded a trailer and toilet facilities and we are supporting the creation of a new classroom by converting a disused grain dryer on the farm. The trailer will mean lessons can be held anywhere on her beautiful farm and the classroom will allow visits throughout the year, increasing the number of schools they can host.  Children from every year from her local school will learn about where food comes from and the countryside around them.

Generating a Buzz: Pollinators for the Pewsey Downs and Vale – Wiltshire

Pewsey Downs Farmer Group was setup in 2016 to help farmers in the area work collaboratively to enhance the landscape for wildlife. Covering more than 10,000 hectares of the south-west of the North Wessex Downs AONB, between Devizes and Pewsey, and involving more than 20 farmers, this group offers a barometer for success to other similar farmer-led groups. Simon Smart is the facilitator for the group and has guided them through various projects on sustainable farming, farmland birds, historic environment including the huge feature of the Wansdyke, chalk downland and the Kennet & Avon canal. One of the Group’s priorities is to provide a landscape rich in pollinators and other invertebrates. This project sought to support this aim and involved mapping key habitats for pollinators and identifying gaps in habitat availability, pollinator surveys undertaken by a specialist, training of the farmers on species identification and suitable habitats and engaging with the local community around pollinators, their requirements and the need to enhance the landscape specifically with pollinators in mind.

To learn more, check out the website here: Home | Pewsey Downs Farmers Group

Elm Revival – Church Farm, Oxfordshire

Church Farm Partnership is sandwiched between the Thames and Wittenham Clumps in the North-East of the AONB. It is a mixed farm with arable and beef cattle spread across the Oxfordshire floodplain. They have worked for two years with the Earth Trust and Wild Oxfordshire to deliver a landscape-scale restoration of Thames floodplain wet meadows and pastures aiming to restore populations of insectivorous birds like house martins and yellow wagtails. This project builds on the success of the ‘River of Life Project’ by restoring hedgerows and tree lines along traditional field and parish boundaries.  These hedgerows and tree lines increase the connectivity of habitat for many species and restore the traditional character of the landscape. Disease resistant elm are used as hedgerow trees along with other species, to return a tree lost to the area.

Ewhurst Park Beaver Reintroduction – Hampshire

Two beavers have been released at Ewhurst Park, 400 years after they became extinct in Hampshire, as part of a large biodiversity project to regenerate the landscape. The North Wessex Downs AONB contributed to the funding of this project through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.

Bucklebury Common – Berkshire

The Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme has funded various projects with the team at Bucklebury Common. They have created a commons association, conducted a detailed assessment of the habitats and developed a vision for their management, and developed a grazing feasibility study to accompany this management plan. We have also funded the removal of scrub using a mechanical grabber to increase effectiveness and limit re-growth.  Furthermore, through our Access for All grant we have funded the restoration and creation of access routes and infrastructure to improve the access for local people and visitors to the common. The future of the common is looking positive and we are keen to continue working with them in partnership.

Happiness Horsebox – across the North Wessex Downs

Happiness Horsebox is a mobile facility for people suffering from disabilities who want to access horse riding and the wider countryside. It has a lifting platform for easy wheelchair access to the heated living with a loo and kitchen. The lift also means  riders can mount easily. It simply makes it possible to access the countryside again with dignity.

This Community Interest Company has received funding from a number of sources such as equestrian and rural charities, including Sir Peter O’Sullevan and the CLA. Further capital funding and some of the set up costs were supported by a Sport England and the National Lottery Innovation Award.

The FiPL programme has helped ensure it is operating according to professional standards through the funding of training, external security barriers and licensing.

Further to this, the AONB has supported the CIC via the Access for All grant to help the organisation’s development of marketing and engagement.

Processing and education centre with viewing platform at Shellswood Sheep Dairy – Aldbourne, Wiltshire

The Browns have been farming at Manor Farm in Aldbourne for generations. With two sons taking up the farming mantle of the parents there was a need to diversify and increase income. Their ethics have taken centre stage and are pushing reformation of their farming systems toward more regenerative practices and traditional products. This includes regeneratively grazing sheep and milking them with high welfare standards. North Wessex Downs NL has supported their venture by funding the installation of cheese-making facilities for local artisan cheese makers and an education room over-looking the dairy so school groups and others can learn about their farming practices.

Action for River Kennet

Action for the River Kennet are a long term partner of the North Wessex Downs NL. For more information about their organisation please refer to their website http://www.riverkennet.org/. We worked with them on the highly successful Sparkling Streams Project and many others besides. Farming in Protected Landscapes has offered an opportunity for the AONB to continue to fund some excellent projects led by ARK. These have included wetland creation on the River Og, wetland planting at Wilton Wetland (previously created with the support of the Sparkling Streams project), Chisbury canal overspill and wetland creation and a fish pass on the River Shalbourne. We visited all these projects with the North Wessex Downs team, ARK officers, FiPL Panel members Thames Water and others to learn about wetland creation and its effectiveness and to demonstrate the impact of partnership working.

Hedge Laying at Pewsey Hill Farm

Charles Bowerman has hosted the Wiltshire Young Farmers at Pewsey Hill Farm. He and his team of experts, with the support of the Pewsey Downs Farmers Group and their facilitator Simon Smart, are teaching them the ancient art of hedglaying. The event was funded by Farming in Protected Landscapes in the North Wessex Downs NL. The programme proudly supports farmers such as  Charles to actively enhance the beauty of the landscape, restore nature, deliver for climate change and engage local communities. Film has been produced by James Cameron of Greek Street Media and photo courtesy of Simon Smart