Trust plans given ‘cautious welcome’

Farmers at a meeting of the South West NFU tenant farmers’ forum have given a cautious welcome to the National Trust’s plans to encourage wildlife and create 65,000 acres of new habitats.

The Trust has announced that it intends make sure half the farmland it owns is ‘nature friendly’ by 2025 and the chairman of the forum, Cornish farmer Chris Cardell, said he was looking forward to hearing how the Trust was planning to communicate with farmers about this process.

“We were very interested to hear about the National Trust’s plans and are were pleased to hear at the meeting they will work in consultation with their tenants – many of whom already do a great deal to encourage wildlife.

“Many of our National Trust tenants were reassured to hear this and said they were supportive of the proposals, particularly as the Trust said they would not be at the expense of practical farming or food production,” said Mr Cardell.

“We are now keen to hear about how they will be implemented and of course if there is anything the NFU can do to assist with this process then we would be pleased to help.”

NFU environment forum chairman Mark Pope, who farms in Somerset and was also present at the meeting, said: “Farmers are proud of their responsibility to protect, maintain and enhance the landscape, and we recognise that the natural environment is key to our productive potential.”

Exmoor farmer Robin Milton, the NFU’s uplands forum chairman said: “Whilst I can only support and applaud this vision of environmental gain, such an ambitious approach by the National Trust must be accompanied by a firm commitment to work in genuine partnership, particularly with upland tenants.

“It is after all those stunning and unique farmed landscapes of the uplands that are England's green and pleasant land.”