Class 21 - The Farmed Environment
Farmers in Cheshire are invited to enter this county competition which is to encourage wildlife conservation in all its diversity of fauna and flora within the constraints of successful commercial farming.
Conditions
Entries are invited from occupiers of farms with homesteads within the county, joint entries may also be submitted by farmers and landowners in cases where it is considered that the work of wildlife conservation on a particular farm is a joint endeavour.
Assessment
The judge will award marks for each of the following aspects:-
- Standard of commercial farming.
-
LAND SPARING: Degree to which uncropped areas are managed to the advantage of wildlife e.g hedges, ditches, field corners, ponds, orchard & boundary trees, woodland
LAND SHARING: Extent to which cropped areas are managed for diversity, pollinator benefit, nesting and foraging habitat e.g. herbal leys, lapwing plots, reduced inputs, companion cropping, in-field trees, beetle banks, floristically enhanced margins
SOIL, WATER & AIR: Extent to which soil and water are managed to reduce pollution risks to river catchments, groundwater and the atmosphere, e.g. buffer strips, runoff management, organic matter management, compaction alleviation, flood mitigation, ammonia emissions reductions strategies
CARBON & GHG: Extent to which greenhouse gas emissions are recognised, audited and controlled on the farm, e.g. use of carbon auditing tools, action plan to correctly target emissions reductinos, identification of opportunities and actions to sequester carbon.
ENGAGEMENT & KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE: Extent to which the farm engages in promoting environmental management to the farming community and public; extent to which specialised advice is sought, and extent to which trials and learning and/or knowledge sharing activities are undertaken on the farm, e.g. open days, apprenticeships, trials, blogs etc.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT: the degree to which the farm's potential for environmental management has been developed, within the context of its farming system and the availabilty of the pre exsisting natural assets within the landholding
Notes
General conditions applicable to all classes can be found in the leaflet entitled “Schedule of Classes”.
Should you require any further information please contact the Secretary.
Cost & Payment
By submitting the below entry form you agree to abide by the decision of the Judge and Committee & pay the £10.00 entrance fee.
Payment by PayPal is preferred as its quick, easy, secure and your entry will be confirmed by email to both yourself & the administrators of Cheshire farm Competition.
