Farming projects, 2023-24

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Listed below are the projects which have received funding from the Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme.

 The funding is aimed at farmers and land managers in England's protected landscapes and is for one-off farming projects that can demonstrate benefits to climate, nature, people and place. 

The programme is part of the government's Agricultural Transition Plan which is shifting from direct payments to farmers, to rewarding environmentally-friendly practices. 

Scroll down to read summaries of the projects that have been awarded grants in the Shropshire Hills between April 2023- March 2024.

or download the list of projects that have been supported to date by clicking on the button below:

list of all projects in the Shropshire Hills 

The Country Trust, Ludlow: Educational farm visits for disadvantaged children

Awarded £13,732.18.  Total project value £14,010.83.

June 2023 - March 2025

To work with the Farm Manager from Downton Hall Estate to provide 10 inspiring, hands-on day visits over the next two years for over 260 children, and in some cases family members too, from disadvantaged communities in and around the Shropshire Hills National Landscape.

Farmland habitat restoration and regeneration

Manor House Farm, Brockton, Matthew Gosling

Grant of £46,206.94, November 2022 - March 2025, total project value £46,206.94 (2 agreements due to Countryside Stewardship rate changes, January 2023)

Creation of species rich meadow with wood pasture. The management of existing woodland. New species rich broadleaved woodland creation. Hedgerow with standard trees and hedgerow coppicing and gapping up. Traditional Orchard restoration, management of existing trees, planting of new trees and creation of a more species rich grassland below. Provision of wildlife nesting/breeding boxes.

photo of new fencing and gateway on farm

White House Field, Clun: Re-instatement and rejuvenation of field boundaries and installation of water supply to allow rotational grazing

Awarded £49,735.73, , total project value £49,735.73

June 2023 - March 2025

The project will be planting 792 metres of new hedge, rejuvenating a further 455 metres of native hedgerow and planting 12 hedgerow trees at random spacings.  The project is also installing a water supply comprising of a solar pump and tank with 504 metre of pipe work and 3 tanks to provide stock watering on multiple fields, to enable rotational grazing of land and more sustainable grazing and grassland management.

Redlake Valley Community Benefit Society, Brineddin Wood, Bucknell: Enhancing the biodiversity of Brineddin Wood

Awarded £3,658.60,  total project value £6,686.83

June 2023 - March 2024,

Enhancing the biodiversity of Brineddin Wood by reintroducing rotational oak coppicing. Create appropriate access for immediate and longer term use. Fell 0.2 hectares of woodland containing about 90 stems of oaks which were last coppiced more than 100 years ago. Protect coppice regrowth from deer predation.

 

Hill View, Pontesbury: Establishment of species rich grassland and hedgerow regeneration

Awarded £5,845.56, , total project value £5,845.56

June 2023 - March 2025

This is Phase 2 of a multi year project to establish a series of biodiverse habitats and ensure good connectivity between habitats, which includes 150 metres of hedgerow regeneration and fencing - preserving existing species and selecting standards through a combination of laying, and gapping up. The project will also fence adjacent ditch to improve water quality and enclose 0.87 hectares to be restored to species-rich grassland.

photo of a redstart on the bank

High Leys Farm, Ludlow: Barn Owl and Redstart Habitat Belts Project 

Awarded £34,080.36.  Total project value £34,080.36.

July 2023 - March 2025

A collaborative project on boundary land between two farms to create a diverse mixture of habitat rough grassland belts and open wood/ parkland belt for 2 target species of conservation concern, the Barn owl and Redstart.   The project will install 4 vole breeding stations, a barn owl nest and roost box, and 4 nest boxes for Redstart. 280 metres of hedgerow regenerated via coppicing, gapping up and hedgerow tree planting, and 16 standard trees planted. There is also an education element to this project which includes 5 small mammal and target bird surveys, setting up a bird nest camera and hosting 3 farm walk education events for local children, local wildlife group and farmer cluster group.  

Photograph of Redstart by Paul Thomas.

Pasture-Fed Livestock Association CIC t/a Pasture for Life:  Pasture and Profit in Protected Landscapes – Farmer to farmer learning and support

Awarded £100,106.60.  Total project value £100,106.60.

August 2023 - March 2025

Building on highly successful farmer to farmer mentoring projects across a number of Protected Landscapes, the Pasture-Fed Livestock Association are building on their experiences to tailor a very similar project in the Shropshire Hills, focussing on the expansion of grazing management practices that support the restoration of biodiversity, carbon sequestration and landscape character, including in river catchments, species-rich grasslands and wider agricultural grassland. Activities include 1-to-1 mentoring, membership of Pasture for Life, events and training materials over a 2-year programme.

LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Education: Increasing educational access to farms in the Shropshire Hills National Landscape 

Awarded £35,600.00.  Total project value £35,600.00.

September 2023 - March 2025

This project is promoting opportunities for educational access to farms, delivering accredited training to farmers and supporting them as they build relationships with local schools and other groups.   Two CEVAS courses will be held for up to 20 farmers and two CPD events as follow up.  The training (CEVAS) is an open college network accreditation and will be delivered by LEAF Education.  It will give farmers the skills to deliver fully risk assessed, engaging curriculum linked educational visits on their farms.  They will also be supported by a Regional Education Consultant to identify educational opportunities on individual farms.  

photo of new fence and field gate on farm

Lower Bent Farm, Bishop's Castle: Hedgerow and watercourse rejuvenation  

Awarded £11,814.37.  Total project value £11,814.37.

September 2023 - March 2024

This project is rejuvenating over 150 metres of hedgerow on the farm by coppicing and gapping up or laying the hedges and planting native trees into the hedgerow. The hedge will be double fenced to create a 10 metre wide linear woodland.  In-field trees will also be planted to create a silvo pasture system  of newly planted bankside trees and shrubs, along the river, all of which will be fenced to protect this riverside habitat. A new livestock drinking trough is also being installed. 

Coppice Farm, Ratlinghope: Water course protection and wetland creation on the Darnford and Bilbatch Brooks  

Awarded £35,837.69.  Total project cost £38,274.76.

September 2023 - March 2025

This project is fencing approximately 1.5km of watercourse, limiting livestock access and protecting adjacent wetlands.  This work will help to restore and increase wetland habitat for wading birds such as Curlew and Lapwing, and also improve water quality and help to reduce downstream flooding. A solar powered water pump is also being installed to provide drinking water for livestock.  

 

Black Hall Farm, Knighton: Enhanced winter-feeding solution for cattle and sheep using farm produced feeds and improving food conversion efficiency   

Awarded £8,437.50.  Total project value £33,750.00.

September 2023 - March 2024

The grant is supporting the purchase of a new diet feeder/bedder with weigh cells to give accurate ration formulation, together with the ability to mix round bale grass silage, arable silage, home grown oats, peas and barley whole mix and straw, into a well-constructed and homogenous mixture for the animals.  The same machine is also capable of blowing straw bedding into all the pens used for winter housing.  Progressing the farm business towards a carbon neutral status, by reducing imported feeds, improving soil carbon sequestration, and lowering the climate impact of our beef and Lamb production. 

Marsh Farm Partnership, Highcroft Cottage, Craven Arms: Wet flush and upland habitat enhancement project – phase 2  

Grant of £14,356.27.  Total project value £14,914.63.

September 2023 - March 2025

This project is enhancing 3 priority habitats (wet-flush, upland valley acid grassland and ‘lowland’ heath). On the upland grassland and lowland heath targeted cutting of gorse and bracken will be done using a Robo cutter. On rockface habitat, the gorse and bracken will be cut using hand tools. A farm wide ecological survey will be done to identify unmapped priority habitat to inform future targeted management and ensure linkage with wider habitat management across the Brown Clee.  Solar electric fencing to target grazing and rainwater harvesting system is being installed for farm water resilience and yard run off protection. The project is also enabling peer-to-peer farmer learning, by inviting local farmers to see the seepage barriers in place and Robo cutter demo to share novel approaches and best practice.    

photo of field in Hare Hill Farm

Hare Hill Farm, Craven Arms: Rainwater harvesting and habitat creation 

Awarded £6,275.94.  Total project value £6,623.20.

September 2023 - March 2024

A rainwater harvesting tank, deep fill gutters and irrigation system will be installed to capture rainwater to irrigate the field scale vegetable crops and livestock drinking troughs. This will reduce demand on mains water and increase current capacity to irrigate. A 120-metre long x 10-metre wide strip of land will be fenced along the watercourse that runs through the farm to protect it from livestock. It will be planted with native trees and shrubs to enhance the biodiversity of 1,120 square metres of new habitat creation. This area will link up with a newly planted hedgerow, creating a continuous wildlife corridor along the whole length of the western side of the holding.  

Clunbury Parish Council, Craven Arms : Reviving Whinberry Hill  

Awarded £9,483.61.  Total project value £9,483.61.

September 2023 - March 2024

Restoring upland heathland through 3 hectares of bracken management, the removal of invasive conifers and the regeneration of heather and bilberry. Cherishing and interpreting this parish asset through connecting the local community (and others) with its past, engaging volunteers in the practical management of the site now and into the future, and encouraging appreciation and use (whinberry picking and amenity) of this fortuitous survival. 

Lower Duffryn Farm, Newcastle on Clun: Habitat creation, water quality improvement and water storage

Awarded £9,994.60.  Total project value £11,081.54

October 2023 - March 2025
                 
A new, almost 100 metre hedge alongside a track is being planted on the farm. This is being fenced to keep livestock from the new hedge and track. This will reduce phosphate input into the local watercourse and help reduce soil erosion therefore improving the quality of water in the river Clun. The project is also installing 185 metre of French drainage including cross drains and water storage tanks to improve the farm's resilience to drought and reduce the demand for water the local area.  

Land Girl Friday, Clee  Hills: Clee Pond Project  (across 5 land holdings)

Awarded £69,694.98.  Total project value £112,569.94.

October 2023 - March 2025

This project is creating and/or restoration 14 ponds and other associated wooded habitats to provide habitat for Great Crested Newts. The grant is adding value to match funding secured via the Shropshire Pond Creation Scheme (£52k), to support the creation of habitat of higher quality, of greater area with greater connectivity.  A large, landscape scale survey to assess the connectivity and condition of habitat corridors connecting the 14 ponds and identify target areas for future habitat work.  A selection of pond dipping kit, including an aquascope, and 4 ‘pop up’ pond events, will allow landowners, their families and the wider community explore, learn and fall in love with their ponds.  

National Trust, Long Mynd Common, Church Stretton: Lives, Livelihoods, and Landscape; the Longmynd Legacy  

Awarded £118,360.00.  Total project value £118,360.00.

April 2024 - March 2025

A project to deliver bracken and gorse management at scale across the Longmynd to leave a lasting and sustainable legacy of favourable Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) condition, and a safer, thriving working Common. Focusing on reducing and permanently removing gorse and bracken from areas where it has increased to such an extent wildlife habitats have been and continue to be lost, and where large areas of the hillside have become impenetrable to grazing livestock and causes access to be dangerous. Grazing is a vital management tool across the Longmynd, and the obstruction caused by the amount and density of bracken and gorse has a universal and significant detrimental impact.  

Clee View Farmers Group, Clee hills: Educational Access and knowledge exchange provision (across 9 land holdings)

Awarded £18,450.00.  Total project value £18,450.00.

December 2023 - March 2024
  
One of the key objectives of the Clee View Farmers group is to disseminate knowledge within the local farming community and to communicate farming with people beyond it. Various members offer school visits or will be doing so as part of their Countryside Stewardship educational access offer. Other members provide farm visits as part of the group learning programme and are willing to also make tours available to adult groups interested to hear about what we do.  To improve the offer and improve visit experience, this project is supporting the purchase of a people carrying trailer that will be shared across members. The trailer will be equipped to seat around 32 people, have a canvas roof for all weather use and will include a wheelchair ramp and storage.   

Photograph of newly planted orchard

Dahn’s Acre, Ludlow: A place to return to nature and experience the countryside 

Awarded £27,038.83.  Total project value £58,037.03.

January 2024 - March 2025

The creation of a place for people, who may not usually get to experience the countryside up close, or interact with farming, to have the opportunity to have an immersive stay on a farm. The project includes purchasing family sized shepherds hut and creating a wildflower meadow, foraging hedgerow, orchard, and natural pond/bog area.  Also, the creation of a sensory area including a muddy toes area (touch) herb beds (smell & taste), pollinator and bird homes (sounds), and an area where some of the ewes and lambs, goats can be kept so people can interact with the farm animals first hand.  

photo of new hedge planting along track on farm

Cwm Collo, Knighton: Hedgerow and orchard creation, and management of species rich meadow and woodland

Awarded £10,197.44.  Total project value £11,142.11.

February 2024 - March 2025

Planting 221 metres of hedgerow with hedgerow trees, and plant 15 fruit trees to create traditional orchard. 220m of stock fencing, and 175m of semi-permanent electrical fencing to support hedgerow creation. Botanical survey of species rich meadow and woodland to inform future management. This project will increase diversity of plant life, which in turn will increase areas for habitat, shelter, and food for wildlife, attracting invertebrates, birds and small mammals. It will also create greater connectivity between habitats. 

photo of new double fencing with new hedge line planted

Handless Farm, Lydbury North: Protection of water course and enhancement of hedgerows

Awarded £6,088.27.  Total project value £6,088.27.

February 2024 - March 2024

A small project which included fencing to prevent stock ingress to a 230m exposed water course and allow tree planting and hedgerow gaps totalling 120m to be in-filled. Re-siting of one water trough and addition of one new water trough. The project will deliver protection of a water course by preventing encroachment by livestock and enhanced wildlife habitat in uninterrupted hedgerow.

photo of new field gate being installed between fields

Chapel Farm, Craven Arms: Twitchen Bank and Ashbeds hedging and fencing project to improve nature diversity and grazing regime

Awarded £8,869.04.  Total project value £8,869.04 

February 2024 - March 2024

A project across two different areas of the farm to include 98m of hedgerow creation on the site of a relic hedgerow to enable managed grazing on sensitive grassland habitat, and fencing within field (up to 50m in places) to allow encroachment of woodland further into field allowing new trees and scrub to establish thereby increasing diversity in this area.  A small project which helps the landowner to build confidence and gain understanding of how a small change in land management can benefit the environment whilst also maintaining a farm business.  

photo of new fencing

Bodbury Farm, Ludlow: Habitat creation, protection from soil wash and reduction in ammonia pollution at Bodbury Farm.

Awarded £7,079.10.  Total project value £7,079.10.

February 2024 - March 2024

This phase 1 project carried out at the very end of the year included 225m of new hedgerow planting, alongside 225m sheep netting, and 10 hedgerow trees. Whilst growing, the hedgerows will reduce ammonia emissions that may be released from our organic outdoor pig operation.  
The hedgerow that runs west to east will also have the added benefit of reducing soil loss due to surface water erosion which is a natural phenomenon on the steep incline of clay soil that runs down to the stream at the bottom of the farm.

photo of farmer next to newly installed solar pump

Myndtown Farm, Lydbury North: Water supply to the hillside

Awarded £6,203.33.  Total project value £9,133.60

February 2024 - March 2025

The aim of this project is to provide a permanent supply of water to land parcel 4124 at temporary locations to enable cattle grazing using solar powered water pump, poly pipe plus fittings, circular drinking tank and drag tank. There is not currently a water source on the SSSI. In order to facilitate a change in the stocking regime and move from sheep grazing to cattle grazing we need to provide water on the hillside. 

photo of new hedge trees planted to fill gaps in existing hedgerow

Brooks Farm, Ratlinghope, Phase 1 – Fencing off track and hedgerow gapping plus improved livestock control on public unclassified road.

Awarded £9,002.55.  Total project value £9,002.55.

March 2024 - March 2024

A public unclassified road runs through the farmyard and across the farm land. 415m of fencing off this road (to be planted with hedge in phase 2), 240m gapping up of existing hedge, gates to allow stock movement and bespoke kissing gate to maintain public right of way.   This project will achieve greater wildlife diversity due to the area that will be rewilded and the restored hedge.  Sheep tend to lie (and foul) on the track as it is warmer and drier – they will no longer be able to do this so any runoff down the track will be cleaner.  

photo of 60+ farmers at a talk in Clun Memorial Hall

Clun Valley Farmers: Clun Valley Farmers Water and Soil project (across 6 holdings) 

Awarded £7,199.04.  Total project value £8,414.30.

March 2024 - March 2025

Landowners will each own a water photometer which can be used to monitor various parameters within the water courses on their holding to gain greater understanding of water quality.  This information, along with support from a planned events, will guide any potential changes in the management of their holding to improve their farm business, sustainability and environmental performance. This project will take place across six land holdings.

photo of the equipment to test farm animals

Ape Dale Farmers FEC project (across 20 holdings)

Awarded £4,889.22.  Total project value £5,550.52.

March 2024 - March 2025

After various local discussions it was established that on farm FEC could be beneficial to local farmers and their environment. The project will purchase 20 microscopes so that 20 farmers could learn to perform their own faecal eggs counts across 2,881 hectares of grassland on their farms. This will bring a range of benefits to the farmers including targeted worming, ease of testing resulting in increased frequency and timely response to worm burden as well as the ability to test individual animals. Alongside this there will be many benefits to the soil and environment as a result of reduced worming and increased effectiveness.

photo of new double fencing alongside where the pigs are kept

Bodbury Farm, Ludlow: Phase 2 - Cross contour hedgerows for protection from soil wash, and reduction in ammonia pollution at Bodbury Farm.

Awarded £9,980.23.  Total project value £9,980.23.

March 2024 - March 2025

302m of new hedgerow planting. 392m protective sheep netting, and 4 hedgerow trees. This project will extend existing hedgerow network and is part of a longer term plan to plant even more hedgerows on the farm, connecting existing hedgerows with new ones and creating more nature corridors across the farm and onto neighbouring land. The first phase of FiPL hedgerow planning has already made a visual impact and there is evidence of reduced run off that can be seen on an adjacent hardcore track that has less muddy water being washed onto it.

picture of the Shropshire Good Food Trail Map 2024

Shropshire Good Food Partnership: Our Local Food System: Good Food and Farming in the Shropshire Hills

Awarded £13,112.20.  Total project value £24,805.00.

March 2024 - March 2025

The project will build the local food economy in the Shropshire Hills. It will create connections between the farming community and people who care about climate and nature friendly food through an interconnected series of activities including contribution to the Shropshire Good Food Trail, Our Food Stories which will celebrate the abundance and diversity of food produced in the area through the seasons and contribution to the Marches Real Food & Farming Convergence will bring people together in the wider landscape to enable learning and exchange on agroecological farming practices. A Shropshire Hills Knowledge exchange will organise targeted field visits and on-farm training for peer learning.

drawing of the vision of the project

Shropshire Hills National Landscape Partnership: Farm Water Audits for Upper Onny Farmers Group (across 12 land holdings) 

Awarded £24,000.00. Total project value £24,000.00.

March 2024 - March 2025

12 farm water audits to inform future water management on farms including: potential interventions for water quality, water resource mitigation works and watercourse protection and restoration opportunities. Working alongside the farmer will mean the audits and the importance of how a fully functioning water system benefits the environment and the farm business will be better understood, and the audits will become workable documents that will inform good future land management decisions. 

Perry Gutter, Craven Arms:  Perry Gutter Conservation and Biodiversity  

Awarded £7,610.06. Total project value £7,910.00.

March 2024 - March 2025

The demand for this project in the proposed location is driven by the need to develop and maintain a variety of connected habitats which require segregation and enhancement. The project will involve erecting 378m of permanent stock fencing, including 6 gates: 2 for large machinery, 1 for stock and 3 for small machinery/pedestrian access.