Exmoor was designated an Environmentally Sensitive Area
(ESA) in January 1993. These days there is increased encouragement to farmers to
manage their land in an environmentally friendly way. Schemes
are being developed which offer financial incentives for organic
farmers and for long term ‘set aside’ land (land taken out of crop
production) where there is benefit to wildlife.
The purpose of this Government scheme
is to maintain the traditional Exmoor landscape by paying
farmers for environmental management and conservation works
such as hedge-laying and repairs to traditional farm buildings.
In 2004, 73% of eligible land, representing 680 farms, was
included in the scheme. This massive uptake of grant aid for
conservation demonstrates its increasing appeal, which is very
interesting because until recently farmers were driven mainly
by incentives for the production of food.
Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) set up an experimental
Farm Conservation Scheme similar to the ESA scheme, with
an emphasis on monitoring the environmental benefits, to
influence the development of other schemes.
It is hill farming that has created the unique and varied Exmoor
landscape - the intricate mixture of moorland, farmland and woodland that people value so much these days. 38,000 ha of farmland and
19,000 ha of moorland make up 83% of Exmoor’s land surface.
Changing pressures on the farming community are reflected in
changes in the landscape. For example, in the late 1960s when
there was a demand for increased productivity, large areas of open
moorland were ploughed up and enclosed to provide improved
grassland. Significant areas of moorland habitat were lost and the
landscape altered. In order to prevent further moorland conversion,
the ENPA entered into Management Agreements which compensated
farmers for not ploughing the moorland. In certain cases the best
solution was for the ENPA to buy and manage the land themselves.
The farming community is essential to the rural economy of
Exmoor. Many of the farms, whether they are owner-occupied or
tenanted, have been farmed by the same family for generations.
The farmers’ knowledge of Exmoor and its history is unique and
the ENPA tries to support their role in the local community
wherever possible. ENPA provides grants for conservation projects
and its staff advise farmers about the many grants that are now
available to encourage and support conservation and diversification.
The ENPA itself owns about 4,800 hectares on Exmoor,
or 7% of the National Park, the land is mainly open moorland with some woodland. The woodland is managed by the Field
Services Team helped by contractors where necessary.
The moorland is leased to farmers who agree to annual grazing
arrangements which restrict stock levels to suit the nature of
the vegetation. One area bought by the ENPA had been partly
ploughed and so badly over-grazed that the heather had virtually
disappeared. No grazing was allowed except for a few Exmoor
ponies, and the heather has now recovered.
The National Trust owns 14 farms on the Holnicote Estate.
These farms vary from those with good quality arable land to
steep, difficult hill farms. They are all let on agricultural
tenancies which means that the farmer is free to manage and
stock the farm as he chooses. The Trust keeps control over major
alterations to the landscape like changes to buildings, removal of
hedges or trees or ploughing of permanent pasture. In areas of
special nature conservation interest, restrictions are placed on
stocking levels; the use of herbicides and fertilisers; scrub clearance and drainage, in order to maintain the wildlife value. |
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