CONSERVATION - FARMER CLUSTERS |
An advisor for each Cluster sources materials such as nest boxes (top) and provides advice on species management. © Peter Thompson
“
...the area covered is an impressive
210,404 hectares (519,919 acres) and involves 981 farms”
(Below) The super Cluster centres around Martin Down an important national nature reserve.
Book now The fi rst GWCT and Natural England Farmer Cluster confer- ence will be held on 12 October 2017 at the Royal Geographical Society, London. It is a unique chance to hear fi rst-hand accounts of running a Farmer Cluster and the op- portunities it provides. A range of speakers from farmers, advisors, facilitators, the GWCT and NE will relate their experiences of Farmer Clusters. The event is kindly sponsored by the Ernest Cook Trust. Tickets cost £45 (including lunch and refreshments). Book your place and fi nd out more at
www.gwct.org.uk/fcc or ring 01425 651021.
www.gwct.org.uk/fcc GAMEWISE • SUMMER 2017 | 23
surveys; providing advice on species management, and sourcing materials such as nest boxes and feeders. Natural England, who had followed our pilot project with great interest, responded quickly by creating a £7.3 million facilitation fund to enable Farmer Clusters to pay someone to fulfil this important co-ordinator role. This has resulted in 49 Farmer Clusters across England being backed by the facilitation fund, with one more application window still to come. The area covered by these groups is an impressive 210,404 hectares (519,919 acres) and involves 981 farms.
We are always trying to progress and test new ideas, so we have now helped farmers to set up a ‘super Cluster’ around an important national nature reserve (NNR), Martin Down in Hampshire. A combination of funds from Natural England, GWCT and private sources has enabled us to employ Jess Brooks to facilitate part of this new super Cluster. Jess will be on hand to offer her time, contributing a variety of ecological and organisational skills. Importantly, the farmers themselves have put in £1 per hectare to help too – really showing their commitment to the project. Three Farmer Clusters now adjoin each other rather like a wheel around the nature reserve, which acts as the central axle (see below). This is excitingly beginning to deliver Sir John Lawton’s vision of ‘bigger, better and joined’ to the letter.
To find out more join us at our conference in October. See below or go to
www.gwct.org.uk/fcc.
© Crown Copyright #100020577. Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust. This contains information which is confidential, and may also be privileged. Any distribution, copying or use of this is prohibited.
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