High Nature Value Farming (HNV) in South West England

European context

HNV Farming first identified as a concept in 1990s.

Since 2006, EU Member States have committed to identify, support & maintain HNV farming as a priority under Axis 2 of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13 – action has varied across the 4 UK Countries.

UK Context •  Type 1: Farmland with high

proportion of semi natural vegetation

•  Type 2: Mosaic of low intensity agriculture with semi natural landscape features (hedges, stone walls, woodlands

•  Type 3: Farmland supporting rare species of high proportion of European or World populations

Taken from: “Measuring & Monitoring the HNV farmland indicators in England” – Geoff Radley, Keith Porter, Stephen Chaplin (NE) 2009

HNV farmland in England

What is HNV farmland/farming in UK? •  HNV farming can mainly be associated with extensive

beef & sheep farming in the uplands and marginal areas because of its high reliance on semi-natural vegetation for grazing (Type 1 ie moorland, upland hay meadows, blanket bog, unimproved grassland).

•  Examples do exist in the lowland where low input systems support a mosaic of semi-natural features (ie mixed farming – hedges, arable plants)

•  HNV farming relies upon sympathetic land management practices (often down to motivations of individuals) – eg low stocking rates, mowing of hay meadows, leaving areas of fallow, spring cropping, habitat restoration, etc

Wider benefits for society ....

•  Ecosystem Services - Water quality, flood risk reduction (water storage in uplands/culm/wet grassland), protection of soils & carbon storage

•  Cultural heritage (rural skills/practices) •  Visual Landscape (retention of stone walls, etc) •  Access/tourism •  Maintains rural communities & supports rural

economy

Fundatia ADEPT… protecting Transylvania’s unique farmed landscapes, their biodiversity, and the farming communities who live within them.

ISSUES

•  Restricted by climate, soils, temperature

•  Remoteness from market/ transport routes

•  Fragile & vulnerable habitats & species intrinsically linked to traditional systems (fragmentation)

•  Often small farms (Economic viability for families/young farmers – losing generational knowledge

•  Market forces & social pressures (quality versus quantity)

THREATS

•  Often outside designated areas •  Intensification •  Abandonment •  Knock on effects of either

above = loss of biodiversity •  Poverty – loss of people from

the land (culture) •  Loss of cattle (particularly

traditional breeds) – losing money at market, increase in continental breeds

•  Renewable energy & afforestation

Key findings from livestock report: Dartmoor •  Significant decrease in pony numbers (currently no market value,

heritage lines being lost) •  Move away from traditional breeds to continental breeds •  Less hefting and shepherding on hill makes management difficult

(some areas under or over grazed) – upland habitats sensitive to changes in livestock numbers

•  Management is linked to profitablity of livestock farming – Initiatives that support & link with farm business will have biggest effect on grazing practices

•  Continued management on many sites dependent on agri-environment schemes

•  Barriers – over winter housing, livestock health issues (ticks, liver fluke, etc)

•  Farms being broken up (loss of smaller farms)

•  Issues of commons – non active graziers

http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/Final_Report_tcm9-340975.pdf

•  In 2011, Cumulus Consultants (funded by EFNCP) undertook several pilot studies in the South West to test the HNV indicator guidelines:

•  South Devon (19.5% HNV farmland of study area – 33,700 ha) •  Culm Grassland (15.5% HNV farmland of study area – 40,628 ha) •  Blackdown Hills (10.5% HNV farmland of study area – 36,860 ha) •  Dartmoor (49% HNV farmland of study area – 3.936ha)

http://www.efncp.org

HNV pilots in South West England

Blackdown Hills, Devon. NE HNV map in red, project map in green/brown

HNV farming in Devon project findings (May 2011)

5 things the UK Gov must do now to save HNV farming:

•  Through the Common Agricultural Policy ensure that High Nature Value farmers are properly rewarded for supporting our most precious wildlife and landscapes.

•  Prioritise spending on targeted Rural Development Programmes across the UK.

•  Build on what we’ve got: through valuable funding programmes such as LIFE+ and INTERREG, support local community led initiatives that encourage the continuation of sustainable grazing and land management in places of highest value.

•  Make progress in identifying and monitoring High Nature Value farming systems.

•  Invest in research on High Nature Value farming systems across the UK, including an assessment of the broad benefits they provide for society and the threats they face.