Member Article

Wildlife trusts respond to the Agriculture Command Paper with a call to action

Last week, (28/02/2018), the Government launched a 10-week consultation on the vision for agriculture and land management in England called Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a green Brexit.

This consultation, or Command Paper, will inform the Government’s forthcoming Agriculture Bill.

The 46 Wildlife Trusts believe that the UK’s wildlife is in crisis with only a tiny proportion of the country’s previous abundance of wildflowers, birds and sea-life now remaining. They believe they can turn this around and lead the world in nature’s recovery but only with true government leadership.

Farming has a huge role to play in securing high quality water, preserving healthy soils, reducing the contribution we make to climate change and adapting to it, and, critically, restoring the abundance of our wildlife.

In this region, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, along with the other 45 Wildlife Trusts, believes it is vital that people who care about wildlife respond to this consultation in the next 10 weeks if the wildlife trust movement is to secure this step forward for wildlife.

Members of the public can participate in the consultation by visiting: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-for-food-farming-and-the-environment and, although the wildlife charity acknowledges it may seem a strange thing to do in an evening, to find a government website and respond to a consultation on farming, the stakes for wildlife have never been higher. A healthy, wildlife-rich natural world is not only valuable in its own right; it is also at the core of our wellbeing and prosperity.

Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Chief Executive says: “After Brexit it is absolutely essential that we do not try and simply continue the agri-environment payments and subsidies for farmers and land managers in exactly the same way as under the EU. However, it is important the same or increased levels of funding be channelled into conservation linked to land management.

“Whilst the higher level and basic Countryside Stewardship funds have produced very good benefits for wildlife and people, landscape improvements can be made to better target funds and action when a new scheme is devised.

“It is encouraging to hear the Environment Minster, the Rt. Hon Michel Gove talking of paying framers for ecological and public benefits and this is certainly the way to go. As the state of nature is so threatened, agriculture needs to be costed differently to ensure valuable habitat is extended and protected and biodiversity is restored across the countryside.

“I hope everybody takes a few minutes to offer their opinions via the online questionnaire.”

Meanwhile, Stephanie Hilborne, CEO of the Wildlife Trusts says: “This Agriculture Command Paper must be the first step towards a new era in which we restore our environment for the benefit of future generations through a Nature Recovery Network.

“We therefore welcome the clear vision for the future of farming in the UK and the proposals to pay farmers and land managers for managing their land in a way that is of value to the public, not least by providing space for wildlife. However, this is not a ‘done deal’.”

For more background, see the Wildlife Trust’s blog Government launches ‘green Brexit’ consultation on future for food, farming and the environment

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Northumberland Wildlife Trust .