countryside Archives · Page 4 of 4 · The Countryside Forum

Carbon Trading

Posted on October 22, 2021July 30, 2024 by Andrew Davis

Food production may be the most significant use of rural land in this country, but there are many others that provide benefits, notably nature conservation, public access and mitigation of climate change. As the environment sits at the top of many political agendas, so these other land uses are promoted. The UK’s secession from the European Union and thus the Common Agricultural Policy means that we are developing our own agricultural and environmental policies. Direct subsidies to farmers are being phased out to be replaced by public money for public goods. But funding is increasingly coming from the private sector too.

Grant Scheme

Posted on September 13, 2021July 30, 2024 by Andrew Davis

As the Environment Bill completes its parliamentary stages, the Government’s plans for the countryside are becoming clearer. There have been numerous amendments debated; it is a large and critical piece of legislation as we are now free to set our own policies. Ministers have resisted any legally binding targets for biodiversity but have agreed to ‘halt’ the decline in the abundance of species rather ‘further the objective of halting’.

Country Matters – Summer

Posted on August 5, 2021July 30, 2024 by Peter Geldart

It has been an extraordinary spring. It seems that whenever I write about the growth of farm crops, I start by describing extreme weather, perhaps we need to redefine what we expect from our climate! But this spring has brought a very dry, sunny but cold April followed by a drenching but still cold May. All sorts of records have been broken yet again.

At least wild spring flowers have enjoyed the weather as primroses, dandelions, buttercups and bluebells have all had a bumper year. One suggestion is that when a plant is under stress, especially if the season is late, it may send up more flower heads in the hope of seeding whilst it can. By mid-May, with waterlogged, very cold soils, the season seemed about three weeks behind normal. It is amazing how quickly nature can recover and the recent dry sunny weather has enabled growth to catch up. Even ticks seem to be around early in large numbers.