What is the Blackdown Hills Sustainable Farming Network?
The Blackdown Hills, an area rich in natural beauty and biodiversity, is also a place where farmers, landowners, and environmentalists are coming together to shape the future of sustainable farming. FWAG SouthWest is facilitating the Blackdown Hills Sustainable Farming Network (BHSFN), a project aimed at supporting a collaborative and thriving agricultural community while also enhancing the environment. This work will continue and extend the facilitation network’s activities in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape (BHNL) from June 2023 until May 2026.
The BHSFN is part of Countryside Stewardship (CS) facilitation funded work, which supports farmers, foresters and other land managers to improve environmental outcomes in their local area. The BHSFN will aim to deliver training sessions, link members to relevant funding and grant opportunities and issue farming updates whilst running a steering group alongside to help target the aims.
Through the facilitation fund we aim to bring together an opportunity for farmers and land managers in the Blackdowns to have a collective voice – to integrate the local knowledge and culture of the area, with the aim to achieve a more sustainable future for both farming and the environment. Landowners and land managers are at the heart of environmental protection and restoration and must be supported to have strong and thriving businesses that underpin and benefit from environmental quality.
Orchard Management Training
One of our recent sessions focused on practical demonstration of the skills and techniques required for orchard management where we covered
- Skills for pruning and restoration
- Formative (to create young tree structure)
- Maintenance (for branch growth and fruiting)
- Restorative (for mature and veteran trees to improve longevity and habitat)
- New tree planting processes, establishment and guards
We were guided by Simeon Day, FWAG South West adviser and regional specialist on trees outside of woodlands. Simeon has a wealth of practical experience as well as a passion for cider making.
Feedback from our Orchard Event…
