RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION FARMS - AUCHNERRAN |


Twenty five years on, the challenge at Auchnerran is the other way about. The


farm has been ‘let go’ but the wildlife is much greater than one finds on neighbouring farms. Our key challenge is to improve the farming without damaging the wildlife; to ‘sustainably intensify’ our production. A major re-fencing programme has allowed the sheep to graze securely for the first time at Auchnerran in many years. Liming is proving to be important. The soil is very light, acidic (pH 5.2) after many years without lime, but surprisingly high in organic content, estimated around 15-20% (average organic matter at Allerton is only 2-3%). To protect soil organic content we have adopted techniques in use at the Allerton project – a direct drill very successfully reseeded 12.3ha of leys, much to the interest of local farmers who had not seen this machine in operation.


Twenty five years ago we took on the Allerton Project farm and increased biodiversity while still farming commercially. © Peter Thompson/GWCT


New fencing has allowed the sheep to graze securely for the first time at Auchnerran in many years. © Marlies Nicolai/GWCT


www.gwct.org.uk


GAME & WILDLIFE REVIEW 2016 | 71


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