(c) Toby Hay
Agriculture in Radnorshire
Farming plays an important role in Radnorshire's countryside and has a significant impact on wildlife in the county. We work with local farmers to graze and manage our nature reserves. We also advise landowners on habitat management and nature-based solutions, helping people encourage more wildlife into their land.
Farm hedgerows, in-field and boundary trees, species rich and unimproved meadows and pasture, broadleaved woodlands, scrub, ffridd, ponds and wetlands, when managed with nature in mind are important for many species and deserve to be preserved, restored and celebrated.
Dale Wilson, Grazier for Radnorshire Wildlife Trust. Photo credit: Eamon Bourke, Friends of the River Wye
I'm a local farmer and have taken on the grazing at Pentwyn Farm, as well as three other Radnorshire Wildlife Trust sites. It's a chance for me and my family to expand our business and try something different, at low risk. I've always been interested in selling beef boxes direct to consumers, but I've never had the chance to do it until now. With beef from the Belted Galloways at Pentwyn, I delivered the boxes locally and people were excited when they received them. It was the first time I'd met people eating the meat I'd produced and that was very rewarding.
- Dale Wilson, Local Livestock Producer & Grazier for Radnorshire Wildlife Trust
Wildlife friendly farming needs to become mainstream
Farmland covers around 90% of Wales, and 70% of the UK. Our wildlife cannot survive in the remaining 30% alone. Some farms are managed to show how agriculture and wildlife can still co-exist happily, providing wildlife with food and habitat throughout the year.
I signed up to trial the pigs at Pentwyn farm after an interesting conversation about regenerative farming. I was interested to see them in action and the benefits they could bring. We have seen how regenerative farming, done well, can capture carbon through encouraging and ensuring good soil health through measures such as rotational grazing using different herbal leys and agricultural practices such as minimum or no till.
George Morgan, Local Livestock Producer & Grazier for Radnorshire Wildlife Trust
Our Mission
Our mission is to further enhance and restore important farmland habitats, connect fragmented habitats and allow wildlife to move across the county.
Wilder Pentwyn Farm Cluster
We are forming a farm cluster group as part of our two-year 'Wilder Pentwyn' project, which started in September 2023. This is early in development, but the aim is that Radnorshire Wildlife Trust acts as a facilitator, but ideally represented by people from across the landscape area. The cluster could bring in collective monitoring and meeting outcomes for ‘public goods’ (e.g. for soil health, water quality, soil organic carbon – key deliverables for the Sustainable Farming Scheme), wildlife monitoring, training, support for farm calculations (e.g. carbon), flood management, showcase approaches, and visits to other sites.
The farm cluster will consist of local landowners around our 164-acre site, Pentwyn Farm, Llanbister Road, Powys. However, there may also be opportunities for involvement and events extended out to landowners across a wider area. If you live in Radnorshire and are interested in events, training opportunities and shared learning about nature friendly farming methods, then please get in touch with our Pentwyn Project Officer: chloe@rwtwales.org
Advice for landowners and smallholders
Many landowners are keen to improve their land for wildlife but are unsure where to start. RWT are now able to offer bespoke farming and agriculture advice relating to the environment. Our Wye Adapt to Climate Change Officer, Sarenta King, can offer farm-wide site visits, advice, and reporting on how best to manage your land in a way that works both for farm businesses and the environment - whilst dealing with the increasing impacts of climate change. Get in touch with Sarenta by email: Sarenta@rwtwales.org
We can also offer advice to any landowners within the river Lugg catchment, through our Wilder Lugg Project Officer, Dan Westbury. Using Natural Flood Management principles, Dan can offer site specific advice and opportunities related to managing water and riparian habitat on your land. Get in touch with Dan by email: dan@rwtwales.org
Both Sarenta and Dan are trained in the environmental sciences while coming from farming backgrounds – conservation within the farming sector is a field they are both passionate about. Why not reach out for a site visit? We offer no-obligation visits to talk about opportunities and welcome everyone from small-scale landowners through to large-scale farming operations.
Nature Friendly Farming Network
The Nature Friendly Farming Network is led by farmers across the UK with a passion for sustainable farming and nature. The organisation seeks to unite farmers across the UK who have a sustainable outlook and secure positive changes in policy, including how farming is supported by the public. Find out more.
As farmers, it’s a privilege to be able to produce food – even more so when we can help restore the environment and support wildlife. After all, long-term food production is dependent on a stable climate and healthy functioning ecosystems. That's why nature friendly farming is so important - no nature, no food.
Rhys Evans, Nature Friendly Farming Network
