Exploring the Blackdown Hills Sustainable Farming Network: Achieving a more sustainable future for both farming and the environment
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.
What is the Blackdown Hills Sustainable Farming Network?
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.
Why is the Blackdown Hills Sustainable Farming Network Important?
This project is emerging at a crucial time for farmers. Many are faced with the challenge of deciding whether to embrace environmental initiatives and the public funding that comes with them or to focus on intensifying their operations to meet market demands.
For the Blackdown Hills, local priorities within the National Landscape revolve around the themes of water quality enhancement, flood alleviation, priority habitat conservation and enhancement, and support for regenerative agricultural practices. The BHSFN aims to support farmers and landowners to work collaboratively and to equip them with the with the necessary skills and experience in order conserve and enhance the important heritage features on their farms, whilst also supporting them with farming related challenges in an uncertain future.
The partnership of farmers and landowners, partner organisations and other stakeholders will build a sense of trust, resilience, and support across a connected landscape. In addition to supporting individual farmers and landowners, the group will benefit the environment on a wider scale by forming a coherent ecological network, conserving and enhancing natural habitats.
The BHSFN also aligns with other projects in the region, such as Connecting the Culm, Triple Axe, and Farming in Protected Landscapes, all of which complement and reinforce the aims of the BHSFN and what FWAG SouthWest delivers as a charity.
Events to date
The network has hosted a variety of events that have provided members with valuable insights into sustainable farming practices, government grants and other funding streams and habitat management, creation and restoration. These events are designed not only to share knowledge but to help farmers implement practical solutions for their farms.
26th October 2023 – Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) clinic
A tailored advice session, where farmers had an SFI update from Farm Environmental Advisers to help determine what SFI actions would suit on their farm.
28th November 2023 – Managing your hedge fund
This event was focused on hedgerow management and how agri-environment schemes can support farmers. It covered the life cycle of hedgerows, available funding in CS and SFI and a demonstration and farm walk on how to deliver hedgerow assessments.
19th December 2023 – Beavers
Held at Otterhead Lakes with the Devon Wildlife Trust, this event explored the ecological role of beavers, how to manage their activity, and potential funding opportunities.
29th January 2024 – Green Finance
A talk covering green finance, explaining how farmers can access financial support for environmental initiatives.
13th February 2024 – Yard Management
A practical farm walk with the Environment Agency and Farm Environment Advisers to discuss yard inspection visits, SSAFO compliance, have a look at the new lagoon cover and talk through available funding opportunities for yard improvements.
25th March 2024 – Nutrient Management
An informative session with an Environment Agency representative, covering slurry management and nutrient applications, aimed at reducing waste and improving efficiency on farms.
12th June 2024 – Bracken Management
A demonstration event on bracken management, using remote control technology to cut bracken. With a presentation from Natural England, followed by a talk in the field on bracken control from a Farm Environment Adviser.
31st July 2024 Agri-environment schemes
A discussion on updates to the available Sustinable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship grants with a Farm Environment Adviser, followed by a farm walk to see how the options/actions are implemented in practice.
28th August 2024 Citizen Science and Water Quality
This event featured training on monitoring river water quality and using citizen science to track the health of rivers. With a demonstration of kick sampling to survey freshwater invertebrates.
26th September 2024 Soil Health and Carbon
A session on soil management, including how to build carbon stores and improve soil health, with a farm walk covering the practical techniques of visual evaluation of soil structure.
9th October 2024 Woodland Creation
A presentation on funding for woodland creation, followed by a walk through a farm that has successfully integrated woodland into its farming system.
26th November SFI Clinic
Following the success of our first one to one clinic last year, we hosted another with experienced farm advisers. We updated farmers on the changes to SFI and talked through what actions would suit their farm and guided them through the process.
These events have become an essential part of the network, offering members the tools and knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their farming practices.
As the network continues to grow and evolve, it will provide even more opportunities for members to engage, learn, and collaborate on projects that enhance the environment, support local communities, and ensure that farming remains a sustainable part of the Blackdown Hills’ future.