Government Schemes

GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED AGRI-ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES

The Estate Farm has implemented several government-sponsored agri-environmental schemes since 1997.

These include the planting of 6m grass margins in arable fields bordered by burns or ditches.  Besides creating wildlife corridors, these are aimed at preventing pesticides from getting into the Estate’s water courses, reducing runoff in periods of heavy rain and reducing water pollution from fertilisers. In addition, 1300m of hedging has been planted on the Estate to provide habitats for wildlife and guard against soil erosion in the future. In some fields, the grass is mowed late in order to encourage ground-nesting birds. Two fields are also dedicated to the cultivation of species-rich grasslands.