An Isle of Wight farmer has been praised for his efforts to help wildlife in this year’s RSPB Telegraph Nature of Farming Award. Michael Poland, of Wroxall Cross Farm, Ventnor, received the Highly Commended award in recognition for the exceptional conservation work he has done on his farm for birds and other wildlife.
Mr Poland who also has a home in Hampshire and another farm near Oban, works with wildlife groups in the local area to carry out surveys on the bats, invertebrates, birds, red squirrels, trees and plants found across the farm.
Mr. Poland said: “Wroxall Cross Farm is home to a wide range of well established natural habitats, which attracts and supports a wide diversity of species .
“We have also been able to create new habitats, such as hedgerows and woodland, which link, buffer and extend those existing areas – making it a fantastic site for all manner of wildlife.”
The 400ha beef farm consists of predominantly lowland grassland, which is managed through the traditional method of grazing and cutting for hay at the end of the summer. The farm also boasts 70ha of woodland, which is home to rare bats, dormice and red squirrels. Meanwhile, his conservation work is supported by agri-environment schemes, which provide funding to farmers to protect wildlife on their farms.
Bruce Fowkes, farmland conservation advisor for the RSPB South East said: “Mr. Poland is doing valuable work on his farm for species that are in real trouble.
“He and many other land managers depend on agri-environment schemes in order to balance food production with wildlife protection, so the recently proposed reductions in the EU budget for wildlife-friendly farming are worrying.
“If the UK Government is going to meet its target to halt the decline in biodiversity by 2020, it needs to fight to protect the schemes, because it’s going to need the help of farmers like Mr. Poland.”
News on the Nature of Farming Award can be found on the website www.rspb.org.uk/farmvote
The competition is run by the RSPB, supported by Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife, and sponsored by The Telegraph.
The EU LIFE+ Programme funds RSPB work which supports wildlife-friendly farming that furthers sustainable development in the European Union.
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