Funds for new orchards, cleaner streams, wildflower meadows and tree planting have made a difference to land management in North Devon and Torridge. Over the last three years the North Devon Coast National Landscape Team have been delivering grants from the Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme (FiPL) on behalf of Defra working with a decision-making Panel of local farmers and environmental experts. The programme aims to support new projects that benefit nature, climate, people or place working with farmers, landowners and smallholders.
In North Devon and Torridge, over £360,000 has been awarded to 41 projects. The programme has seen the planting of over 1600 trees, the creation and restoration of wildlife rich habitats and practical measures to reduce flood risk. In addition, improvements to accessing the coast and countryside for local people and visitors have been made with three new paths created at Abbotsham, Berrynarbor and Combe Martin and fifteen existing paths improved. Projects benefiting ‘Place’ include restoration work to a Combe Martin lime kiln and new interpretation boards to explain projects on site.
Joe Newberry, National Landscape Officer said:
“This programme has helped the team to meet and work with over 90 farmers and land managers from across the National Landscape. The ambition is to address some of the top priorities for the nation in these outstanding landscapes as the following examples show. North Hole Farm wanted to improve water quality and reduce flooding in the Crydda stream going down to Croyde beach. The grant has funded construction of leaky dams and an “offline pond” to slow the flow of water during periods of heavy rain, then encouraging water to move into the flood plain. Water quality is improved by fencing the stream to keep livestock out but using solar powered water pumps and new troughs to provide an alternative source of drinking water. Tree planting and reduced grazing along the banks of the stream will provide more habitat for local wildlife.
On Bursdon Moor FiPL funding is supporting the removal of scrub and improved fencing to areas of the Site of Special Scientific Interest to allow the Bursdon Moor Commoners Association to reintroduce grazing and better manage the wildlife rich grassland habitat”.
The FiPL programme is for one-off projects that benefit these exceptional places along the North Devon and Torridge coast and our local communities. If you are a farmer or land manager/owner within the North Devon Coast National Landscape with a project in mind, email joe.newberry@devon.gov.uk or find out more from the website https://www.northdevoncoast-nl.org.uk/farming-protected-landscapes
