Free advice about environmental stewardship is on offer at a series of events starting in September.
Staff from Natural England’s farm advice unit are touring the region offering land managers to chance to view the benefits of stewardship and speak to advisers and farmers about the scheme.
Two launch events are taking place on the same day, 21 September, in Norfolk and Hertfordshire. The Norfolk launch event takes place at Peewit Farm. It will focus on how environmental stewardship and catchment sensitive farming work together to protect soils and water.
Dr Mary Dimambro, from Natural England’s Farm Advice Unit, said: “Soil erosion and run-off can result in the loss of valuable nutrients and pesticides. Environmental stewardship provides a range of options that can help to protect soils and buffer watercourses, assisting farmers to reduce diffuse water pollution.”
A guided walk will take place to demonstrate how environmental stewardship can benefit wildlife and be successfully adopted to tackle pollution problems from agriculture. Farmer Herbert Kittle will host the farm walk and discuss how stewardship has helped his farm.
The second launch event at Offley Hoo, Hertfordshire focuses on higher level stewardship in the Chilterns. The host farmer, Jon Birchall is one of the Farmers Weekly countryside farmer of the year 2010 finalists.
Offley Hoo includes more than 1,850 acres of arable and grassland. The chalk grassland is valuable for a diverse range of wildflowers, herbs and insects. It is grazed by a number of rare native breeds including longhorn cattle and Wiltshire horn sheep. Rare breed pigs are also managed on site.
A morning farm walk will look at the environmental stewardship options, including arable buffer strips, beetle banks and fallow plots. The management of field corners, grassland and hedgerows will also be discussed.
After lunch, Mike Furness from the Chilterns LEADER Programme will provide information on grants for farm diversification.
For further details of the autumn programme and how to book please call 0300 0601695 or visit www.naturalengland.org.uk\farmevents
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