Natural England

A Peak District farm which removed livestock from a section of its land is reaping rewards as numerous species of native plantlife return to the moorland.

Clough House Farm at Wildboarclough, in the Peak District National Park, received funding from Natural England to reduce the number of sheep and cattle grazing on a 95 hectare area of moorland to allow natural and special habitats, such as blanket bog and heathland to recover.

The land, which suffered from over-grazing in the past, has had a chance to recover naturally, and native plants such as Bilberry, Heather, Crowberry and the beautiful Bog Asphodel can now flourish here. The land is also better for breeding birds like Red grouse, Golden plover and Twite.

Farmer John Eardly receives funding through the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) scheme - one of Natural England’s agri-environment land management schemes to help him reduce livestock on the moorland while the land is recovering. Mr Eardly – who started the scheme several years ago - reduced the number of sheep to a low level and removed all cattle grazing.

He said: “We’ve noticed a lot of plants returning over the past four years. This year there has been a tremendous show of Bog Asphodel. It is well worth doing. I get a lot of benefit and pleasure from the changing moorland landscape here.”

Denise Lorne, a Conservation Adviser at Natural England said: “The agreement we have with Mr Eardly is all about improving land management for wildlife, the landscape and people’s enjoyment of them. I think it is great that we are now seeing the benefits. There are other ways to get heather and various other plants back onto a moorland such as spreading heather seeds on the land where it has become dominated by grasses or has been degraded by overgrazing.

“However, some upland habitats such as areas of blanket bog, which occurs at Mr Eardly’s, are fragile. The natural method of changing the grazing is preferable and has been shown to be very successful. We want to build on the type of work at Clough House Farm to improve the National Park for everyone.”

Notes to editors

1. Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings. We increase opportunities to make the natural environment an enriching part of people's everyday lives, and improve its long term security by contributing to the sustainable management of our natural resources.

2. The ESA scheme is now closed to new applicants as it has been succeded by the Environmental Stewardship Scheme but those land managers remaining in the ESA scheme are welcome to discuss their moorland/environmental stewardship agreements by contacting Natural England.

3. Environmental Stewardship is an agri-environment scheme which provides funding to farmers and other land managers in England who deliver effective environmental management on their land. The scheme's primary objectives are to:

• Conserve wildlife (biodiversity)
• Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
• Protect the historic environment and natural resources
• Promote public access and understanding of the countryside
• Protect natural resources.

Environmental Stewardship has three elements:

Entry Level Stewardship (ELS):

- Open to all farmers and landowners

- Simple and effective land management

Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS):

- Organic strand of ELS

- Open to all farmers not receiving Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) aid

Higher Level Stewardship (HLS):

- Targeted environmental management

- Capital work plans

Issued on behalf of Natural England by Government News Network East Midlands. For more information contact Clare Stevens on 0115 971 2785.