projects & research

Arun to Adur Farmers Group projects and research.

Given the climate and biodiversity emergency, we can and wish to play our full part in working with the wider community to deliver high quality projects to improve the environment and help mitigate against climate change.

biodiversity

Our connectivity project aims to link habitats across the group from East to West. This will include Hedgerows, Scrubland, Conservation Strips and woodland.

With the project already in motion, areas of importance have already been identified and visited. A variety of wildlife will then be able to traverse across our whole group without having to break cover.

Future Targets:

Use our detailed map of farmland habitats and options to deliver connectivity projects stretching right across the area.
Work with local communities and businesses to ensure important habitats are well-managed and, where possible, new features are created. This will allow people to invest in a stunning part of the national park and help deliver measures to counter climate change.
Continue to deliver targeted training and action for our target wildlife species in conjunction with government and private partners.

Main Achievements:

Adopted five target species that are indicators of a healthy countryside. These are grey partridge, lapwing, water vole, rare arable plants, and the Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
The Duke of Burgundy population has increased and is now spreading, due to the targeted conservation efforts of the group.

farming and climate change

The effects of climate change are being felt hard by farmers. The extreme weather and unpredictability make decision making for food production a lot harder than it used to be. We have seen yields drop and livestock fed winter rations in the summer as well as an increase in fires and floods.

Making our farms and businesses more resilient to the changing climate is paramount to our food production, wildlife and businesses. Planting hedgerows, trees and increasing our soil organic matter are all high on the list of targets.

We have already had successful projects centred around soil health and our new connectivity habitat will help wildlife to move around and be able to find the habitat and shelter they need.

Future Targets:

Reduce the impact and carbon footprint of individual farm businesses and, as land managers can alone deliver positive environmental gain, offer funded opportunities for mitigation for the community.

wider community engagement

Our connectivity project aims to link habitats across the group from East to West. This will include Hedgerows, Scrubland, Conservation Strips and woodland.

Main Achievements:

Delivered an annual community open day linked to the LEAF Open Farm Sunday Initiative, which, supported by many partners, has now grown to attract over 1,000 visitor every year.
The group has used QR/NFC code technology to deliver a Meet The Farmer initiative with signposts along the South Downs Way, winning a gold award in the 2020 CPRE Sussex Awards. This was delivered in partnership with the South Downs National Park and Southern Water and has been rolled out to other farmer group projects.

Future Targets:

Develop community engagement through events and social media including the Open Farm Sunday event.
Actively look for sponsors for deliverable ‘shovel-ready’ projects within the area, which will help mitigate local losses and help the local community invest in their local countryside. Such projects may include dew ponds, soil carbon, soils and water, pollinators and water voles.

soil and water

Main Achievements:

In partnership with Southern Water and S. Woodley Crop Services, the group established a comprehensive soil health monitoring project to increase the understanding of the nature of our soils and ensure that our members can deliver cleaner water for our local community, increase farmland wildlife and increase the store of soil carbon to help mitigate climate change.
Using options developed with and funded by Southern Water, the group reduced nitrate leaching to groundwater in 2019/2020 by an estimated 13,500kg of nitrogen. This means that approximately 13 tonnes less nitrogen entered groundwater in the Worthing drinking water catchments in one year, and as a result the farmers group reduced their carbon footprint by three quarters of a million kilos of carbon.

Future Targets:

Within our members increase the awareness of the soil as a valued living ecosystem with earthworks, effectively the most important form of livestock, to be monitored and nurtured.
Continue to work with Southern Water to improve nutrient management and reduce leaching to groundwater.

farm community

Main Achievements:

Established a stronger network between farmers, farm staff, environmental charities and companies with a clear focus on partnership working.

Future Targets:

Continue with events to increase knowledge and also build a stronger sense of a supportive farming community.
Explore potential for mentoring and/or an apprenticeship scheme to encourage the next generation.
Provide local employment.
Improve the delivery of wildlife management.

contact us

For more information on our projects and research please get in touch.