life - WILDLIFE
Small island
BIG challenge
Photo: Jackie Cooper (SENPA)
How the Trust is working with
the Isle of Wight’s farmers
to help them manage their
land for wildlife and remain
profitable.
The Isle of Wight is England’s
largest offshore Island and one of
the richest counties for wildlife in
the south east of England. This is
in no small part due to the way the
Island’s farmers have recognised the
value of their land for wildlife and
managed it sympathetically.
Despite the pressures of modern
life and the big changes in the
agricultural industry after the
second world war, farmers on the
Island have largely resisted more
intense agricultural practices.
Within the south east region the
county holds the greatest number of
Countryside Stewardship Schemes
by area. The scheme was launched
in 1990 by the national government
to encourage farmers to reduce
chemical inputs and intensive
management.
Unlike on the neighbouring
mainland, there has been no
widespread hedge removal or
50
pollution. This in turn has led landscape. With funding from
to the conservation of much of Leader+ and English Nature, the
the farmland wildlife including Trust launched the Isle of Wight
skylarks, yellowhammers, brown Living Landscapes Project in April
hares and cornflowers.
2004 to help farmers become aware
Reforms
in
the
Common of the grant aid available to them
Agricultural Policy means that and help them maximise their
money to pay farmers for the farming activities to help wildlife
production of food will now be paid and the environment.
for sympathetic management of the
The Project team has visited over
land and the introduction
of
environmental Photo: Water Vole - Darin Smith
enhancements. But while
wildlife will benefit, the
Island’s farmers could
see their productivity
reduced, hitting their
profits.
It is a concern, but
the Trust is taking a
lead role in helping the
farmers adjust to the
new rules. The Wight
Wildlife Partnership was
established to promote
wildlife
conservation
on the Island and fully
supports
measures
aimed at conserving and
enhancing the Island’s
natural heritage and
100 farm businesses in the last
three years to discuss different
grant schemes, help fill in forms and
provide advice on the ecology of the
wildlife we want to conserve.
To further help the farmers,
another part of the Wildlife Trust’s
Isle of Wight team will be looking
at other Islands in Europe, to see
how they are coping with the
Island Life - www.isleofwight.net