Natural England

Saturday 3rd May sees the opening of a “permissive access” footpath at Aston Hall Farm, White Ladies Aston.

Rob and Kate Adams, occupiers of the farm, would like to invite everyone along to the launch event starting at 11am, which opens the footpath. No need to book, and there is ample car-parking space at the farm, so the more the merrier.

This new 3km footpath links in with existing public footpaths and a byway open to all traffic to create a circular `safe` route with Public Rights of Way, and avoids the main road (A44 Worcester to Pershore/Evesham). It follows the northern banks of Saw Brook linking up with Bow Brook, along grassy slings, past arable cultivation and Medieval Fish Ponds. The route is pushchair/wheelchair friendly.

This footpath forms an integral part of the successful Higher Level Stewardship Scheme application Rob and Kate made to Natural England. Higher Level Stewardship is part of Environmental Stewardship, which are schemes administered by Natural England who deliver the Governments programme of financial incentives to farmers & land managers for the protection and enhancement of the natural environment.

Kate said “We are delighted to be able to offer a safe circular walk that will enable walkers of all ages and abilities to appreciate some of the other initiatives within our Higher Level Stewardship Scheme. This access will also add considerable benefit to our recently acquired educational access facility through which we hope to welcome school children, especially those from inner city schools.”

Other aims of this Stewardship Scheme are to enhance and manage hedgerows, provide habitat for farmland and wetland birds and other wildlife, provide food sources for these animals and protect the landscape and heritage of the English Countryside for all to enjoy.

Catherine Hurley, Conservation and Land Management Advisor from Natural England said “Natural England welcomed Rob & Kate and Aston Hall Farm into the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme in 2006 firstly because of the wide range of habitats and features on their farm, which include Historic Earthworks, Wet Grassland, Woodland, Traditional Orchards and Arable Habitats, and secondly because of their keen desire to protect and restore these features and to share them with other people. I am extremely pleased that Rob and Kate have continued with enhancing the farm and opening it up to the general public through this permissive access route and educational access. Rob and Kate have been actively involved from the start of the agreement in Natural England’s work to encourage the General Public onto the farm, participating in several events such as Open Farm Sunday and taking Trainee Primary School teachers around the farm. This is the sort of thing that Natural England wishes to encourage to make sure the General Public stay connected with their food and landscape and without the help and support from farmers such as Rob and Kate this would be impossible to do.”

As mentioned, Rob & Kate are very keen to encourage groups of children and young people out to learn about farming and the rural way of life by providing Educational Access visits at Aston Hall Farm. Rob in fact benefited from this sort of opportunity himself as a child, and was immediately attracted to farming and living in the countryside.

Visits are free, so please contact Rob or Kate direct on 01905 345223 or email astonhallfarm@yahoo.co.uk for more information.

Notes for editors:

NATURAL ENGLAND

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 wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.

Environmental Stewardship was launched on 3 March 2005. It is composed of three tiers:- Entry Level Stewardship (ELS), a whole farm scheme which aims to encourage farmers and land managers across England to deliver simple but effective environmental management; Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS), which is open to farmers who manage all or part of their land organically; and Higher Level Stewardship (HLS), which, when combined with ELS or OELS options, aims to deliver significant environmental benefits in high priority areas.

Environmental Stewardship builds on the very best practice already evident in British farming. In particular, it takes forward Defra’s two flagship agri-environment schemes, Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Countryside Stewardship. The primary objectives of this scheme 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.
• Natural resource protection.

Environmental Stewardship (ES), is one of the Schemes which operate under the England Rural Development Programme (ERDP). The scheme replaced the Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Organic Farming Schemes, which are now closed to new applicants.

Further information concerning Environmental Stewardship and other schemes within the England Rural Development Programme are available from your local Natural England office (see www.naturalengland.org.uk contact details) or the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk

For further information contact: Dean Gallen, Telephone: 01905 362987, Email: Dean.g.gallen@naturalengland.org.uk

For further information about Natural England please visit: www.naturalengland.org.uk