Hopefully this spooky season there aren’t actually any Greater Horseshoe Bats in your cauldron! This particular species of bat is one of the rarest, and Cornwall’s protected landscape offers key...
Melodie Manners
Welcome to the farmer and landowner hub for the Cornwall National Landscape
We are committed to supporting farmers to achieve a sustainable and profitable farm business and deliver outcomes for people, place, nature and climate.
We are working with farmers to identify and understand their natural capital and ecosystem services. We're also supporting farmers and landowners with increasing biodiversity, sequestering and storing carbon and undertaking natural flood management. All of these are embedded in the aims and objectives of the Cornwall National Landscape (AONB) Management Plan. We're working alongside farmers and landowners to ensure that these goals for People, Place, Nature & Climate work alongside the principle role of local food and fibre production. Farmers are integral to our cultural heritage and are the architects of the conservation and enhancement of the protected landscape for future generations.
Until 2027 the gradual transition from EU-led countryside stewardship schemes to UK government produced, and DEFRA-run, Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes is taking place, with aims to deliver grants for farmers to promote sustainable farming techniques. This means a loss of basic payments and many farmers and land mangers needing to reassess their farm businesses to make them more sustainable and resilient with innovative diversification. As well as changes to agri-environment schemes, the climate is placing an increasing challenge on many farmers and landowners. Floods and droughts are becoming increasingly common in the UK.
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With the rising costs of fuel and fertiliser there is an opportunity for farmers to work with a more regenerative farming approach to lower inputs and therefore costs, whilst maintaining or increasing productivity. Working towards a more diverse, resilient and sustainable farm business. We're working to connect with farmers to offer advice and guidance, and connect them with projects that may benefit their farm.
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The Cornwall National Landscape Partnership works together to understand and communicate how future schemes can be a tool to deliver improved environmental benefits, sensitive access and wellbeing. There are specific partners in Cornwall National Landscape who advise and support within the farming industry. During the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, we have also funded a number of projects to work with farmers across Cornwall.
From min-till conversions to wildflower meadow matchmaking, farmland bird surveys to peer to peer learning; farmers, land managers and organisations are doing some amazing things to deliver for people, place, nature and climate.
The ‘dating agency’ for wildflower meadows in Cornwall.
Supporting farmers and land managers. Continued communication to support young farmers and new entrants to help with succession to maintain well skilled land managers in the landscape forms part of our collective approach.
We are supporting farmers and land managers to conserve and enhance the beauty and heritage in the natural environment, and make sure it can be enjoyed, used by and cared for by everyone.
Working with farmers and land managers to increase biodiversity. Delivering nature recovery and growing a resilient network of land, water and sea that is richer in plants and wildlife.
Working with farmers and land managers to help build resilience against climate change across agriculture, land use and food systems. Supporting natural flood management, Cornish hedges and a regenerative farming approach.
Cornwall National Landscape's Farming in Protected Landscape programme is running until March 2025. It is grant-funding for Farmers and Landowners designed to deliver for People, Place, Nature and Climate. This project is funded by Defra and delivered by the Cornwall National Landscape team. As of June 2024, Cornwall National Landscape have paused expressions of interest for funding due to many of the funds already being committed to projects across Cornwall. There may be some small grants available later in the year. Despite this, the FiPL team at Cornwall National Landscape still wish to engage and support farmers as best they can and welcome conversations.
- Whole Farm Plans - Pasture and Profit in a Protected Landscape - Help with Herbal Leys - Cornish hedging advice - Educational Access on Farms advice - Small grants (September 2024 onwards - tbc)
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“It has been eye-opening the whole process, I’m glad I have been involved and something I’d recommend a farmer doing if they have the chance. I have looked forward to the meetings and always come away with a nugget of information.”
“The application itself was fairly straightforward. The equipment has been awesome so far, it is really saving time in grazing management. I was able to implement a mob grazing set up straight away and without the kit, I would be spending much more time setting up fences. The mobile water system is perfect, its designed for the job and helps to make the operation feel slick. The kit is making daily moves easy to do and the land is looking great for some rest. Loads of different species have been flowering all summer as the fields have a 60 day rest.”
“We’re immensely grateful to Cornwall National Landscape (AONB) for the FiPL grant that’s enabled specialised conservation repairs to a century-old barn with a previously collapsed wall. These improvements have made roosting conditions safer for colonies of rare lesser and greater horseshoe bats ; emergence surveys will soon provide data of the impact on their number.”
Project Description
How ELM can use a fuller understanding of natural capital and ecosystem services to provide a step change for the biodiversity and heritage of the Lizard Peninsula whilst also delivering wider multiple benefits for local communities.
Project Aim
Examine how objectives can be set for the provision of public goods in a rural farming landscape whilst also demonstrating how farmers can work collaboratively to deliver the objectives of ELMs.
Project Description
Bodmin Moor is our largest Section and forms one of the South West’s iconic peat moors that is not only a haven for wildlife but also provides us with fresh water and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by acting as a store for carbon.
Project Aim
South West Water will work with regional and local organisations, including the Cornwall AONB, to restore 1,680 hectares of damaged peatland on Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor.
Project Description
Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) is a 4-year programme providing grant-funding for Farmers and Landowners designed to deliver for People, Place, Nature and Climate. The programme is funded by Defra and delivered by Cornwall National Landscape.
Project Aim
FiPL is helping to address the climate and biodiversity crisis, improve people’s engagement with the landscape, and support sustainable farm businesses and communities.
Project Description
"This project pilot secures through practical inputs, soil carbon baselining and pollinator monitoring, using the BEE Steward reporting, data we can use to help secure future funding for additional delivery."
Project Aim
Develop the funding opportunities to initiate and deliver the practical actions on farms identified in the Landscape Management Framework.
If you're currently farming or are a land manager within the protected landscape we would love to see what you're up to! Send us your photos using the link below, and you might be featured on our website or social media! What a great way to promote your farming business within the National Landscape...