Latest news with #CountrysideRegenerationTrust
BBC News
10-05-2025
- BBC News
Secret bluebell woodland in Upper Denby opens for one day only
A centuries-old bluebell wood usually closed to the public has opened today for one day Wood in Upper Denby is a 32-acre stretch of semi-ancient woodland and pasture that becomes a carpet of bluebells every April and woodland, which is usually closed to the public, has opened to visitors one day a year each year for more than two site is managed by volunteers from the Countryside Regeneration Trust who "nurture the flora and fauna and establish good habitats" for local wildlife. Lead volunteer Andy Brown said the bluebells have probably been on the site as long as the woodland."It's difficult to say when it formed but it's classed as semi-ancient woodland so it's been here since at least 1600."It might have been a small clump that has propagated itself by dropping seeds, developing into bulbs and forming a carpet throughout the wood."Mr Brown said he was expecting more than 100 visitors on Saturday, mostly from the local villages such as Denby Dale and the surrounding HD8 said they would be keeping the bluebells safe from visitors by marking out paths through the woodland."We have carefully marked out paths that volunteers have trodden which show the way to go with yellow flags," he said. The site is also home to hundreds of birds, deer and hare, he added."This time of year we've got spring migrants. So black caps, garden warblers, common whitethroat, you can hear robins, chiff chaffs, occasionally buzzards will fly over, great spotted woodpeckers, hundreds of different birds in the vicinity."We occasionally get roe deer and we've seen hares boxing on the clearing."Visitors to the woodland will be able to follow a marked trail between 10:30 BST and 15:30 BST after which it will close again to protect the plants and Pete Foulston said it was important for people to be able to see the "beauty and magnificence" of the woods."It's like a secret wood, which is good for the wildlife, but it allows members of the public to come one day of the year at its height and, like me, bathe in its magnificence," he Foulston became a volunteer after visiting the woodland on last year's open said: "I was so amazed at the beauty and magnificence that I decided to volunteer, so I've been coming for a year."It lifts my heart to be here." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
30-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Pierrepont Farm accessibility improved thanks to funding
New accessibility improvements at a Surrey farm have been completed thanks to nearly £60,000 of improvements at Pierrepont Farm near Frensham are being launched on Wednesday following a project by the site's owners, the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT).The work, which began in January, included making a historic carriage track an accessible pathway to a picnic area, installing interpretative signs including braille, disabled parking and improvements to Darragh, head of conservation at CRT, said: "Opening up Pierrepont Farm to more people has always been our goal, and this new path ensures more people have the opportunity to experience it." The project, which received money from Surrey Hills National Landscape's Access for All Fund and a legacy donation, was developed in collaboration with partners including the Surrey Coalition of Disabled People and the Royal National Institute for the Lewis-Jones, who is a coalition member and set to cut the ribbon, said: "The changes mean it will make it much easier for so many people, including me, to visit and benefit from everything that the countryside has to offer."When accessibility for all those with impairments, whether mobility or sensory, is addressed such as here, it means true inclusivity and a greater enjoyment of all that nature has in abundance."The Surrey Hills Access for All Fund, provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, supports initiatives that improve access to natural spaces.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Farm staff 'let down' by green fund closure
A government decision to close a green funding scheme will mean Dorset farms will struggle to achieve sustainable practices, a farmland trust has said. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), saying it would not accept any new applications. The Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT) said its sites at both Baber's Farm in Marshwood Vale, and Bere Marsh Farm near Shillingstone, were due to submit SFI applications in the coming weeks. Elaine Spencer-White, farm manager at Bere Marsh Farm, said staff felt let down by the decision. SFI pays farmers in England to manage land to protect soil, restore hedgerows and boost nature recovery. The government said it had been a success, with 37,000 funding agreements agreed. The CRT said the work at Bere Marsh Farm was to include floodplain meadow restoration, species-rich grassland management and restoration, as well as general hedge management and maintenance of the areas between fields for barn owls. Helena Darragh, the trust's head of conservation, said: "The floodplain meadow one is the real frustration, given that 97% of floodplain meadows have gone since 1960s. "Babers' application would have included restoration towards species-rich grassland at Harmshay and hedgerow management. "Those are the critical habitat management works, which we will either have to self-fund, not do for a year or more, or find alternative ways of supporting." Elaine Spencer-White, farm manager at Bere Marsh Farm, said seasonal work had already been carried out at the site to meet the funding requirements. "Now the funding has been withdrawn, the charity will have to cover the costs, which will, in turn, prevent us undertaking other projects to improve sustainability on the farm," she explained. She said the work was carried out in "good faith". "Something else will now have to be sacrificed, which is deeply disappointing," she said. "If farmers are being encouraged to adopt more sustainable practices, they can't do it without the necessary funding." Head of Estates Kerriann McLackland said the lack of funds would mean bearing the cost of "nature friendly farming directly from charitable funds, meaning we are less able to do things such as educational work". The government has said it is still committed to paying £5bn over two years for sustainable farming and nature recovery work. It added that a "new and improved" SFI, with a capped budget, would be set up, but details would not be announced until later in the year. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Green scheme closure a 'shattering blow' to farms, says union Conservation bid to save 'rare' black poplar Bere Marsh Farm
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Dorset farms 'let down' by decision to close green fund
A government decision to close a green funding scheme will mean Dorset farms will struggle to achieve sustainable practices, a farmland trust has Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), saying it would not accept any new Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT) said its sites at both Baber's Farm in Marshwood Vale, and Bere Marsh Farm near Shillingstone, were due to submit SFI applications in the coming Spencer-White, farm manager at Bere Marsh Farm, said staff felt let down by the decision. SFI pays farmers in England to manage land to protect soil, restore hedgerows and boost nature government said it had been a success, with 37,000 funding agreements agreed. The CRT said the work at Bere Marsh Farm was to include floodplain meadow restoration, species-rich grassland management and restoration, as well as general hedge management and maintenance of the areas between fields for barn Darragh, the trust's head of conservation, said: "The floodplain meadow one is the real frustration, given that 97% of floodplain meadows have gone since 1960s."Babers' application would have included restoration towards species-rich grassland at Harmshay and hedgerow management."Those are the critical habitat management works, which we will either have to self-fund, not do for a year or more, or find alternative ways of supporting." 'Deeply disappointing' Elaine Spencer-White, farm manager at Bere Marsh Farm, said seasonal work had already been carried out at the site to meet the funding requirements. "Now the funding has been withdrawn, the charity will have to cover the costs, which will, in turn, prevent us undertaking other projects to improve sustainability on the farm," she said the work was carried out in "good faith"."Something else will now have to be sacrificed, which is deeply disappointing," she said."If farmers are being encouraged to adopt more sustainable practices, they can't do it without the necessary funding."Head of Estates Kerriann McLackland said the lack of funds would mean bearing the cost of "nature friendly farming directly from charitable funds, meaning we are less able to do things such as educational work". The government has said it is still committed to paying £5bn over two years for sustainable farming and nature recovery added that a "new and improved" SFI, with a capped budget, would be set up, but details would not be announced until later in the year. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
