RSPB Geltsdale’s site manager Steve Westerberg talks about how farming on the reserve is helping to provide homes for nature.

Tarnhouse Farm is part of RSPB Geltsdale and is farmed by the RSPB’s tenant Ian Bell who has his own farm adjacent to the reserve. Tarnhouse is a large hill farm and is about 2000ha, the majority of which is moorland. Ian has been farming here for 18 months and has 80 suckler cows and 360…

The summer months are a natural time for people to head outside to enjoy the British countryside and its wildlife. Given that around three quarters of land in the UK is used for farming, the chances are that if you are enjoying wildlife outside of a nature reserve, it will be on farmland.

Luckily there are farmers making great efforts to give nature a home on their farms, often with the help of RSPB and other advisors…

For arable farmers, one of the biggest events of the year takes place every June - Cereals. This technical event attracts more than 20,000 visitors over two days. As usual, amidst the shiny new tractors, new varieties of cereal crops and demonstrations, agricultural staff from across the RSPB will be on-hand to provide advice on managing farmland for biodiversity as well as food production. This year we will be showcasing…

Guest blog by Mark Thomas, RSPB Principal Specialist - Investigations

Last week (Thursday 4 May), I set off for a secret location in Norfolk in search of two rare Montagu’s harriers newly arrived from West Africa. These birds are one of just five pairs of Montagu’s harriers which return to the UK to breed each spring, making them our rarest breeding birds of prey. Accompanying me was Anna Hill from BBC Farming Today,…

Post from Ian Dillon, Hope Farm Manager

Open Farm Sunday, organised by LEAF, is a great time to visit farms to see what goes on around a farm whether its growing crops or raising livestock. It is also an ideal opportunity to see and hear what wildlife live on farms and what farmers may be doing to help wildlife thrive.

Visitors to Hope Farm on Open Farm Sunday. Image: Ellie Crane

Over 380 farms took part in Open…

Ahead of RSPB’s event at the Hay Festival on 31 May, former Telegraph environment correspondent and author of Ethical Carnivore, Louise Gray, discusses why farming is important for us all.

Here’s an early memory of nature: I’m in primary school and we are learning about wild flowers: the poppies and oxeye daisies and cornflowers that I so love. I am in my element, day dreaming about red, white and blue flowers…

Posted on behalf of Yvonne Stephan, Conservation Advisor, East Scotland

Over the last couple of years, RSPB Scotland have been involved to various degrees in numerous applications to the Agri-Environment and Climate Scheme (AECS). We provided information to farmers and consultants, advice on various AECS options and the needs of a range of species, assisted with farm environment assessments and worked directly with farmers…