Improving the Environmental Benefits of the Farm

This unit of work is a practical introduction to environmental management and has been written as a decision-making activity incorporating fieldwork.

The unit incorporates: Role play, discussion and interview teaching methods Subject knowledge Fieldwork techniques

For this activity, students adopt the role of the farm manager Pre-field work preparation: For the student, background information about: Entry Level Stewardship The farm For the teacher, background information about: Entry Level Stewardship Pre-visit to the farm

Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) Aims: Secure widespread environmental benefits Whole farm scheme Large numbers encouraged (simple application process) Beyond Single Payment Scheme (SPS) and Good Agricultural Environmental Condition (GAEC)

Subsidies & Agri-Environment Schemes SSSI Higher Level Stewardship Entry Level Stewardship (Organic ELS /Uplands ELS) Single Payment Scheme

5 year agreement Land must be on Rural Land Registry Points target to be calculated 30 points per hectare Complete an Farm Environmental Record (FER) Choose Options

Using the Joint Character Areas Natural England has outlined the key characteristics of the different parts of the English countryside, by defining over 150 Joint Character Areas. The descriptions, key issues & suggested ELS options can be used to analyse the geography of a small region “Nature on the map”

Land Use Mapping Farm Environmental Record Farm walk Selected area or field parcels Opportunities to see and identify features

Soil Analysis

Interview Interview with the Farmer

Land Judging Consider possible ELS options… Boundary Trees and woodland Historic/landscape Buffer strip/field margins Arable Encourage range of crop types For lowland grassland For Uplands The JCA has guidance about which options are most appropriate for your farm

Students will have the following information about the farm: Land use maps showing present land use, environmental features, erosion features and a map of possible management option choices Option Choice Table with points scored Farm information, and information from interview with farmer.

Back in the classroom students will Produce FER map Review the information gathered from the interview with the farmer Make decisions about their choice of ELS options, add them to their map and complete points calculations

Conclusion Students report their findings to the farmer Students write up their findings using the maps and graphs drawn Fieldwork is developed to form the basis for Key Stage 4 coursework for Geography and/or Land Based courses

Mark Taylor Natural England, Lead Farm Advisor ELS “What is stewardship?”

Why am I here?

Boundaries

Archeology Images removed for copyright reasons

Buffer strips

Arable Options

Wildlife options Wild bird seed mixes Sow mix of barley, triticale, kale, f.radish, quinoa, linseed, millet, mustard, sunflower. Nectar flower mixes Sow mix of red or alsike clover, bird’s foot trefoil, sanfoin, musk mallow, common knapweed

Grassland Options

Mixed stocking

Choose your options! “Edford Farm” is a small family farm, the farmers son is now taking over and wants to look at ELS. What options should he choose? Ones that will be of the most benefit financially with least impact on farming practices? ones that will be of the most benefit from a conservation point of view, or a mixture? First calculate the area of the farm and multiply by 30 to give you your points target. Now study the “Features" map and use the ELS handbook to help you choose your options. Don’t forget: You get 3 points per hectare for the FER To allow 5-10% error margin in your points calculation.