FWAG helps Natural England deliver £1m project in Gloucestershire

The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), a national charity that is the leading provider of independent environmental advice to farmers, will have a key role in a helping Natural England deliver a programme of environmental schemes worth in excess of £1 million to safeguard Gloucestershire's spectacular landscape, biodiversity and fascinating historic environment.

With the assistance of Environmental Stewardship funding, common land in Gloucestershire is being restored by Natural England and FWAG coordinating a team of organisations working in partnership with the local communities.

More than £1m has been secured in capital funding from Environmentally Sensitive Area, Countryside Stewardship and Higher Level Stewardship schemes which will benefit local farmers and craftsmen contracted to rebuild dry stone walls as natural boundaries, install water supplies to enable grazing with local cattle and resurface stretches of the Cotswold Way National Trail.

The grants will make significant contributions to the rural economy, local employment and careers development through skills and training while the protection of these nationally and internationally important open access sites will safeguard them for future generations.

Jenny Phelps of Gloucestershire FWAG commented "The approach we take enables local farmers and communities to be the custodians of their local environment.  The process values and respects people's local knowledge and sense of protection for the places they love.  Farmers are demonstrating all over the county that their knowledge of land management and resources are crucial in helping to deliver the detailed sustainable management of these special places.  This local delivery helps Natural England and partners to ensure delivery of their statutory duty but more importantly ensures their local protection.  People want to help in all aspects of our environmental future.'   Jenny continued ‘FWAG's local delivery model enables that good will to turn into action to achieve multi objective delivery on the ground and give people back a sense of community spirit and shared pride in their achievement as part of a team"

Nicky Jameson from Natural England said ‘This programme is all about local people as they are the ones with the knowledge.   Look at what we can achieve when we all work together in this way, with FWAG and other partners.  The only way of facilitating long term sustainability is by valuing and supporting local people.  It's all about building relationships between us and its really rewarding to see what we can achieve together'.

Toti Gifford, the farmer who grazes Ravensgate Common, one of the key areas of the scheme, said "I have enjoyed the whole process which has not only benefited our livestock with additional grazing, but also informed me about wildlife management and the needs of rare butterflies.  I have found it really enjoyable, sitting on the bank, discussing how best to manage the common with Natural England FWAG and Butterfly Conservation. It makes you appreciate what can be achieved with a little sensitive management and how much there is to know about wildlife conservation in the countryside.  I have found it really rewarding to see this derelict piece of land restored with Natural England's investment for the fencing and water supply.  It can now be managed traditionally to benefit both farming and wildlife, something I wouldn't have thought about before I met Jenny from Gloucestershire FWAG.'

Key areas included in the scheme include;

Cleeve Common, which is the largest common in Gloucestershire, is to benefit from £300,000 of funding - secured by Gloucestershire FWAG, Gloucestershire Natural England and the Cleeve Common Board of Conservators - to install a water supply to allow long term grazing management with cattle.

Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common where Gloucestershire FWAG is working with Natural England and Cheltenham Borough Council with the principle aim of restoring the Cotswold stone wall along the historic boundary of the common which also runs along with Cotswold Way National Trust.

Ravensgate Common where Gloucestershire FWAG is working closely with Natural England, Butterfly Conservation and the Ravensgate Hill Management group to bring together local groups to agree a £125,000 capital plan to reintroduce cattle grazing on the nationally important butterfly site.

Walmore Commons are an internationally important Ramsar wetland, Special Protection Area of European importance and a site of Special Scientific Interest of national importance.  The Walmore Common and Basin Management Group has been set up by Gloucestershire FWAG to assist Natural England and the Group to establish an agreement for more than £50,000 of works to be carried out.  FWAG is working with Natural England and other partners to roll out this scheme to deliver an even wider range of environmental objectives in partnership with local communities.