Ref: CSFF060011
Lead: Kate Mayne, katyjmayne@gmail.com
Group members: 23
Agreement length: 3 years
Area of group: 5140 ha
The North Shropshire Farmers group lies in the Shropshire, Cheshire & Staffordshire Plain & is characterised by the Meres & Mosses landscape.
- Through soil & nutrient themes we will develop knowledge within the group of how farm practices can be modified to reduce sediment, nitrate and pesticides reaching priority catchments by investigating soil & manure management; and techniques / infrastructure most suited to farms in our region.
- The cross-cutting theme of soil will feed into carbon, pollinator, water quality and flooding targets, through investigating cover crops, tillage & rotation on livestock holdings, mixed farms and on arable holdings where manures are used and roots are grown.
- To complement this we will seek to enhance field boundaries & landscape connectivity, focussing on quality delivery of multiple CS priorities including protecting sensitive habitats, supporting resilience of biodiversity, improving water & air quality, restoring / maintaining landscape features & benefitting pollinators.
- We will investigate carbon sequestration in farm habitats to inform the improvement of carbon capture in areas of poor agricultural productivity & look at ways to incorporate more wetland habitats such as ponds & reedbeds into farmland, to extend & connect habitats & serve other roles such as flood mitigation or water quality improvement.
- We will work with researchers to understand what role vegetative barriers can play in protecting sensitive sites from ammonia emissions.
