Holsome Park
Improve business resilience and biodiversity
South Devon National Landscape
Follaton House, Plymouth Road,
Totnes TQ9 5NE
Improve business resilience and biodiversity
Farm/site name: Holsome Park
Town/ward: Totnes
Description: Repair 75km stone wall enhancing important landscape feature , creation of a new hedgerow to increase connectivity. Carbon soil testing across the holding to assess base level of fields. Covering a livestock feeding area to reduce poaching. Providing a pop up shop for campers, together with information boards linking landscape to food produced.
Grant awarded: £52,740
Project value: £65,582
Start date: October 2021
End date: February 2022
Management of SSSI
Farm/site name: Croft Farm
Town/ward: West Charleton
Description: To improve the unique character, biodiversity and environmental wealth, of the Salcombe-Kingsbridge estuary. Management of the SSSI Marsh, replacement of the tidal gate, to reduce risk of flood and ensure footpaths and bird hide are accessible. Purchase of a variable rate fertiliser spinner with sectional control for greater accuracy of application.. Orchard planting and erection of an owl box .
Grant awarded: £25,193
Project value: £43,002
Start date: October 2021
End date: February 2024
Wildlife habitat enhancements
Farm/site name: Park Farm
Town/ward: Kingsbridge
Context: To increase the value of the farm for wildlife – planting a hedge bank with wildflowers and planting a hedgerow along a historic hedge line. Creation of a separate hedge, planting with fruiting and nectar rich species. Creation of a wildfowl scrape. These will all help to deliver more for wildlife and improve biodiversity and enhance the public experience when walking and kayaking nearby.
Grant awarded: £6748
Project value : £6748
Start date: October 2021
End date: February 2022
Grazing management
Description:
This project aimed to develop the farms ecology and restore its history by improving the ability to manage grazing.
Clearance of scrub to reveal calciferous grassland and allow it to spread, fencing and gating off various fields to allow better management of cattle grazing, on rare grasses. Exposure of a walled bank to allow assessment of viability for its restoration.
Grant awarded: £12,662.45
Project value: £22779.60
Start date: Dec 21
End date: March 2023
Butter Well & Cart Pond restoration
Description:
Restoration of a historic cart pond and restoration of a butter well.
The restoration of the cart pond and butter well will improve the quality and character of the landscape whilst also ensuring historic structures and features are conserved.
Rejuvenation of a traditional orchard containing local varieties of cider apples. There are a series of Open Days planned for the public to see the restoration.
Grant awarded: £16,936
Project value: £24,590
Start date: Jan 22
End date: March 23
No Fence collars- conservation grazing
Description:
No fence collars and trackers for conservation grazing.
The Nofence collars will allow restriction of cattle to areas that require more grazing and habitat development for periods of the summer, while the Digitanimal collars will provide grazing data on other sites to assess where the Nofence collars need to be deployed.
Many of the small sites in private ownership do not have stock proof fencing and contain features that make electric fencing awkward or impossible. The Nofence collars will allow conservation grazing to more of these sites.
Grant awarded: £3720.12
Project value: £3720.12
Start date: Dec 21
End date: Mar 22
Conservation Architect appraisal
Description:
A Grade 11* listed Threshing Barn Appraisal. The barn is located adjacent to the Grade I church at South Pool.
Stage 1 of the project is for this report is assess how to repair and improve the condition of this important barn to preserve it as an important feature in the landscape. This will provide supporting evidence to secure planning permission and as it is adjacent to a public footpath it is easily seen.
Grant awarded: £7110.00
Project value: £7110.00
Start date: November 21
End date: March 2022
Footpath enhancement
Description:
Enhancement of 145m footpath: planting an indigenous hedge and hedgerow trees, two new gates and erecting two interpretation boards.
Grant awarded: £3740
Project value: £4116
Start date: Oct 21
End date: March 22
Improvements to access for the public.
Description:
Improvements to access around woods and ponds to enable more people to enjoy the tranquility views and wildlife in and around the ponds and wooded area.
Grant awarded: £12,689
Project value: £12,689
Start date: Nov 21
End date: Mar 22
Wildlife pond
Description:
Creation of a wildlife pond
The aim is to increase the biodiversity across the area for the benefit of nature through the creation of a variety of habitats that encourage a more species rich environment for flora and fauna. It is envisaged that, the creation of this pond will contribute to the mitigation of habitat fragmentation along the Avon Valley.
Grant awarded: £4761.50
Project value: £7140.00
Start date: January 2022
End date: March 2022
Farming and Nature
Description:
The object of Farming and nature in the south Hams is to connect farming, wildlife and people together. Showcasing what farming does for the local landscape and environment allowing people to become fully integrated with their surroundings. Farm shop and butchery, tree planting,wild life boxes, web site and interpretation boards There will be educational visit opportunities for both school children and the wider public.
Grant awarded: £54,066.10
Project value: 181,352.10
Start date: Jan 21
End date: March 23
Agroforesty
Description:
Introduction of cattle to an existing agro-forestry unit to keep paths clear and encourage a more biodverse understorey. Path clearance, secure boundaries, introduce cattle, hard standings for parking at each end of the permissive path and new signage for walking routes. Semi permanent electric livestock fencing
Grant awarded: £11,031.70
Project value: £15,449.00
Start date: Oct 21
End date: Mar 22
Vegetable strip-till
Description:
This mixed organic family farm produces vegetables for the Riverford box scheme.
The ‘strip tillage’ machine will allow vegetable plugs to be planted directly into the ground behind the ‘tilled’ strips. This non-inversion tillage allows more carbon to be kept in the soil, reduces soil erosion, is beneficial for soil life, increases biodiversity and uses less diesel/wearing metal.
Grant awarded: £8420.00
Project value: £21,340
Start date: January 2022
End date: March 2022
Organic vegetable farm adaptations
Description:
A range of initiatives including:
Grant awarded: £35,075.80
Project value: £79010.80
Start date: Dec 21
End date: March 22
Soil carbon measurement
Description:
Working with five farms in the National Landscape to examine their carbon footprint. An important element of this work will be to showcase the results from Pilot Farms to inspire other farmers,
both in the value of carbon footprinting but also in the opportunities that exist to reduce GHG emissions, build soil health and increase carbon sequestration. Discussions have highlighted some areas common to S Devon in particular and there are plans to expand the group and its activities.
Pilot Funding: £6,500
Project value: £6,500
Start date: Oct 21
End date: Mar 22
