a variety of complimentary core managements. Targets for management include restoring fish spawning gravels and reducing diffuse pollution entering the river system by focussing on phosphates and sediments from farming activities. These aims run alongside intentions to create bespoke farm management plans, which both future proof the farm businesses and allow them to farm in an environmentally sensitive manner.
Among the more detailed intentions within these aims, the project will work to understand the farm nutrient journey from farm to environment and provide solutions for mitigating or slowing their progress. This understanding will be vital in a wider sense because often agriculture takes the rap for diffuse pollution based on subjective evidence devoid of detail.
Another research element is to produce a plan which maintains and supports existing species rich pasture, alongside creating new biodiverse grasslands. The new SFI Actions are proving hard to implement already and practical guidance for other local farmers will be a useful side-benefit.
A quickly achievable aim will be the creation of a continuous buffer along the River Axe and its tributaries. So often buffers are intermittent along a watercourse, with one landowner committing and the next not. This will assist in returning the River Synderford to a favourable habitat for Brown Trout
A bonus will be to Improve biodiversity, carbon sequestration and ecological variety in the catchment. At the same to develop farms for the Natural Capital Markets.
It is hoped that they will create a project which will give neighbouring farms and landowners the confidence to see the benefits of joining. Also to engage the community, particularly the younger generations, with the River, the Environment and Farming. There is a strong intention to raise awareness of the connections between food production and the natural environment.
The Scottish Government are looking at similar projects for catchments like the Tay through the “Farmer Cluster” approach. This is a little way behind the English model but, all being well, lessons will be passed across the border. The position on the new scheme in Wales is in disarray, with widespread farmer dissent on proposals to simply set aside 10% of each farm for woodland and environmental cropping. Northern Ireland has a way to go yet before policy is clear.
