The end of the year brings to a close a pioneering three-year project that we’ve been leading in the Fens. The big aim has been to raise awareness of nature-friendly farming in the Ouse Washes landscape, which is a particularly rich area for farmland wildlife, particularly birds.
Image: Turtle doves on machinery (rspb-images.com)
We’ve done this by working with a group of 12 farmers, whose land covers an impressive 4000 hectares, to form the Ouse Washes Nature Friendly Zone. The zone represents a high standard of farming, both for the benefit of people and wildlife, and we’ve been shouting about this great work!
Over 2000 people have attended our activities and events: from wildlife workshops to farm walks to evening talks. Local Fenland communities have soaked up our messages about the importance of nature-friendly farming for protecting our vulnerable farmland wildlife. By getting local people to support their work, we hope that farmers’ efforts to look after sections of their land for nature will continue long into the future.
Image: (c) Gemma Wells
Also with all the political change on the horizon, we see now as a great time to stand up for nature-friendly farming and the funding that encourages it. We’ve been collecting peoples’ support by taking “Fotos For Farms” – people saying YES to nature-friendly farming.
If you’d like to help us continue our mission of raising awareness of nature-friendly farming, have a watch of our new videos and share them with your friends on social media.
And if you want to get out and about to see farmland wildlife for yourself, we’ve put together a farm walks guide for the Ouse Washes Nature Friendly Zone that can be picked up at RSPB Ouse Washes reserve visitor centre. Or if you live further away, find your own farm walk using public footpaths through farmland this winter.