Listed here are the projects which have received funding from the Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme in the Shropshire Hills between April 2024 and March 2025.
download full list of projects (2021-2025)
Pathfinder Project. Katherine Mellor.
- May 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £9,890.99, total project value £9,890.99.
Digital documentation and mapping of new and existing bridleway routes within the Shropshire Hills National Landscape boundary to encourage more riders of different abilities to visit the area.
Lower Darnford water course protection/management and hedgerow creation. Brooks Farm, Ratlinghope:
- June 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £36,590.14, total project value £35,590.14.
Creation of hedgerow, gapping up and coppicing existing hedge, fencing off a water course and a professional botanical survey. The holding is adjacent to the Long Mynd Site of Special Scientific Interest and the project will provide the starting blocks for a continuation of this high quality habitat.
Upper Trebert Meadow Project. Graig Farm, Knighton.
- June 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £14,359.53, total project value £18,337.17.
A large project to put in 1450 metres of fencing to minimise livestock access to a 705m length of stream and the approx. 3hectares of linear woodland bordering, and then to subdivide the remaining fields to bring them into rotational grazing management.
Provision of water for livestock to enable grazing management, restore pond and create/gap up hedgerows. Pool House Hollow, Bucknell.
- June 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £43,469.37, total project value £47,313.37.
Pond restoration and protection, 586m of new hedgerow, 25 new hedgerow trees, 195m of gapping up/coppicing, 134m of historic hedge restoration. This project is restoring and creating new habitat corridors for wildlife on the farm. Grassland will also be enhanced through a greater control over grazing which will improve grass production and diversity.
Rotational grazing project. Welsh Row, Pennerley.
- July 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £17,882.67, total project value £18,431.80.
This project will provide infrastructure for rotational grazing, woodland creation to form windbreak and planting new hedgerows. 973m permanent electric fencing to allow for smaller pastures,1km water pipe,174m new hedgerow and trees and 92 trees for a windbreak.
Facilities for educational visits, creation of new hedge, riparian strips and infrastructure to allow rotational grazing. Red House Farm, Cardington.
- June 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £54,406.47, total project value £60,591.50.
This project includes the conversion of a stone barn for educational purposes, fencing of a brook to create riparian strip and new hedge and provide an alternative water source for livestock, introduce rotational grazing into the management plan for the farm.
Regeneration of woodland, enhancement of hedgerows and protection of water courses. Handless Farm, Lydbury North.
- July 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £12,609.26, total project value £12,609.26.
Restoration of 0.26 ha coppice by thinning mature trees and replanting to create more diverse woodland habitat and fencing to better manage livestock access, watercourse maintenance and fencing to prevent livestock encroachment, totalling 443 m, hedge restoration by gapping, 133 metres.
Walcot Farm water course/wetland protection. Hedgerow reinstatement. Walcot Farm, Lydbury North.
- July 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £28,879.94, total project value £28,879.94.
Protection of 760m of watercourse, restoration of 140m of historic hedgerow, planting of 15 sweet chestnut, fencing off woodland to allow natural regeneration. This project will help with natural flood management to reduce downstream peak flow levels, and improve river water quality. Through habitation restoration, creation and corridors biodiversity will increase on the farm.
Whinchat habitat and bracken management on the Long Mynd. Ornithological Surveys & Consultancy, Long Mynd, Church Stretton.
- July 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £9,819.00, total project value £11,859.00.
The project will use professional ornithologists to locate as many nests and territories as possible on the Long Mynd and advise National Trust of the results so they can ensure that the bracken management they are undertaking does not damage whinchat nests or habitats.
Adding value to low input grassland by adopting rotational grazing systems and improvement of water quality. Peckledy Farm, Bucknell.
- July 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £14,240.33, total project value £22,756.60.
Implement rotational grazing systems in low input grassland using electric fence systems, mobile water bowsers, mobile creep feeders. Rotational grazing will allow longer rest periods to improve soil structure; relieve compaction, build aggregate structure, and maximise production from natures resources: water and sun.
Adding value to low input grassland by adopting rotational grazing systems and improvement of water quality. R J & H V Price, Peckledy Farm, Bucknell.
- July 2024- March 2025. Awarded £13,932.83, total project value £20,497.30
Implement rotational grazing systems in low input grassland using electric fence systems, mobile water bowsers, mobile creep feeders. Rotational grazing will allow longer rest periods to improve soil structure; relieve compaction, build aggregate structure, and maximise production from natures resources: water and sun.
Diverse habitat creation to improve nature connectivity and native flora and fauna. Sarah Odell, Bodbury Farm, Ludlow.
- June 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £80,584.90 , total project value £99,399.27
Wetland creation, woodland creation, including orchards and scrub, planting of hedgerows, fencing off areas of rough land to maintain a wildlife habitat, installing wildlife boxes.
Habitat creation. Chris Parker, Cow Hall Farm, Newcastle on Clun.
- August 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £13,081.55 , total project value £13,081.55
Create and enhance habitats and connectivity through pond creation, planting of hedgerow trees, creation of leaky dams, hedgerow gapping up, fencing to protect new hedges and in-field tree planting.
Hedgerow and ditch restoration, with water supply. WME Davies, New Invention.
- 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £13,185.74 , total project value £14,865.74
Restoring cross contour ditch with shallow sides. Replanting cross contour hedgerow adjacent and double fencing to protect the hedge and ditch from livestock. Three leaky dams will be installed in this ditch using the coppiced trees from the hedge works taking place in the existing FILP scheme. Providing water supply to individual fields and farm building for livestock drinking with a solar pump.
Norbury Hill bracken control and habitat improvement. Middle Marches Community Land Trust.
- July 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £3,346.20, total project value £3,346.20
Continuing bracken control to enhance and re-establish acid grassland. Wetland improvement for Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary habitat, planting of 100 trees to create ffridd wood pasture and habitat networks. Bespoke bracken control over fragile post medieval rabbit warrens.
Phase 2 Well Meadow Project. 6 G W Sanders & Son, Upper Ledwyche Farm, Ludlow.
- August 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £17,189.79, total project value £21,434.26
Tapping into and protecting Well Meadow spring, utilising on-farm water to support rotational grazing and farm water resilience. Linking spring to newly created pond (CS funded) via wetland feature, including creation of 3 hibernacula and sowing of wetland flora species. Seepage barriers,
public bench, and bank edge, specific nest boxes for Kingfishers. Creation of a shallow pool, scrub enhancement and standard trees three fields away, to create a refuge and stepping stone for wildlife across the farmed landscape. Water supply infrastructure and solar electric fence kits to allow additional rotational grazing of 30ha of new herbal leys in the surrounding fields.
Infrastructure to allow change in grazing on the Stiperstones National Nature Reserve (NNR). Natural England, Pennerley
- August 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £7,559.79, total project value £17,482.86
Erection of stock fencing along defunct sections of boundary fence to allow for change of grazing by commons right holders on NNR to all cattle. The fencing would give encouragement by keeping neighbouring cattle herds apart from common animals. To provide cattle collars for the two herds of cattle on the NNR to allow for easier checking on this large upland site, welfare benefits and data to benefit future conservation management.
Robin’s Bench. H Gatehouse & Son, Coppice Farm, Ludlow
- November 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £7,982.54, total project value £7,982.54
Robin’s Bench is a farmer-created local beauty spot, and this project aims to significantly enhance this feature by installing a more userfriendly platform area with bench and metal fabricated rail and steps. The creation and installation of a bespoke ‘skyline’interpretation/information board, highlighting features of the surrounding Shropshire Hills National Landscape.
Protection of watercourses and scheduled monument. Linsay Bury, Marsh Farm, Abdon
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £6,259.56, total project value £6,259.56
Project to provide alternative water supply for animals & to prevent access to a deep sided stream and Abdon medieval village. To enable the grazing of cattle on an area to be managed as low intensity grazing following hay crop.
Provision of alternative water supply for livestock to protect watercourse & fencing to protect hedges and trees. Hawkhurst Meadows, Craven Arms
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £7,969.40, total project value £9,939.40
Project to provide alternative water supply making use of the water from a farm well using a solar pump with connected pipes and water troughs, for animals & to prevent access to a tributary of the River Onny (East) and protect coppiced hedge, existing hedges, newly planted small native woodland and existing woodland from livestock. This will enable the complete fencing off of the stream and prevent livestock access. It will also enable better pasture management.
Watercourse protection, wetland creation and hedgerow rejuvenation. F Pinches & Son.
- August 2024 - March 2026. Awarded £65,418.45, total project value £66,418.45
822m hedgerow regeneration, 119m new hedgerow planting, 397m watercourse protection, installation of leaky damns and seepage barriers, 4.3 ha of woodland and wetland to be protected, 2 wetland areas created. Farm talk to raise community awareness and understanding of farming.
Watercourse protection, habitat creation and borehole feasibility. R&L Reynolds.
- August 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £34,390.66 , total project value £34,390.66
319m hedgerow reinstated through coppicing, gapping and replanting, 322m ditch protection, 366m of water course protection, 10 bankside trees coppiced, 3 leaky damns, and a borehole feasibility study.
Large scale livestock integration into the arable rotation. Downton Hall Partnership, Clee Downton.
- August 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £47,762.38, total project value £49,482.88
Installing circa 8,600m of permanent electric fencing, water infrastructure, and 1,500m of temporary electric fencing to allow mob grazing of sheep and cattle on herbal leys grown in arable fields. The project will also create a sustainable drainage system on a 24ha block of arable land incorporating the restoration of seasonally wet ponds, leaky wooden dams, and wildlife friendly ditches.
Livestock trailer and mobile handling system to facilitate environmental grazing. D H Heighway & Co., New House Farm.
- September 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £25,797.50, total project value £51,595.00
Purchase a large livestock trailer and mobile handling system for transporting and loading sheep between land which is being grazed for environmental benefits including Clee Liberty Common and Downton Hall Estate.
Wildlife habitat creation at Woolstaston. G R Elliott & Rt Hon Sophia Anne Sackville-West
- September 2024 - March 2026. Awarded £38,368.32, total project value £40,054.32
Rejuvenate 480m of internal hedgerows by coppicing and gapping up, and double fencing. Plant 208m of new hedge on a historic hedge boundary, and double fence. Plant new hedgerow trees in new & rejuvenated hedges. Selectively coppice over-mature and vulnerable bankside trees in dingle. Fence approximately 500m of wooded dingle to exclude livestock, Install 3 leaky woody barriers, Create 6 new scrapes to benefit snipe. Control of scrub, mainly bramble, on species diverse area of grassland & wetland.
Managed cattle grazing on SSSI using No Fence collars. Plowden Farm Partnership, Myndtown Farm, Craven Arms.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £5,972.00, total project value £7,465.00
The aim of the project is to increase biodiversity on Black Hill SSSI, 108ha of dwarf shrub heath and acid grassland, by mob grazing cattle fitted with No Fence collars. The area has previously been subject to a sheep only, set stocked grazing regime and as such preferred areas have been over grazed. A different grazing regime will help to reverse the decline and restore this habitat.
Water Quality Improvement and Habitat Creation. Tl & DW Davies, Lower Duffryn Farm
- September 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £26,346.66, total project value £27,346.66
A project to improve an existing blocked ditch into a functioning swale, reinstate an existing land drain, add culverts in gateways, stone up gateways, erect sheep netting, plant new hedge/wildlife area and gap up dead areas of hedge. Build bridge/cattle crossing over and fence off significant water course.
Soil health, nutrient management and water quality. The Brow Farm Norbury Ltd, Norbury.
- September 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £49,718.83, total project value £56,171.83
1189 m of underground slurry pipe to enable slurry to be efficiently and cleanly delivered to all areas of the farm for spreading. 598m of permanent electric fencing to protect water course. Solar pump to provide clean drinking water for livestock. Planting of 10 infield trees and installation of 3 leaky dams. Farm walk forthe local community.
Boundary re-instatement and rejuvenation with associated water supply. Phillip Morris, Shukers House, Clun.
- September 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £38,800.32 , total project value £40,691.18
Rejuvenation of 488m of relict hedgerow and planting of a further 273m of lost hedgerow. Water supply provided by both solar pump and mains connection to allow fields to be rotationally grazed. The water systemincludes the restoration of a silted-up pond and fencing of this from livestock.
Stock fencing and deer fencing to protect new planting and natural regen in this PAWS woodland. Andrew Allott, Bank Wood, Craven Arms.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £9,457.57, total project value £9,457.57
Replacement of 800m of perimeter stock fencing and repairs to 400m perimeter stock fencing. Construction of deer fencing around a 0.26-hectare coupe to allow re-establishment of woodland by replanting and natural regeneration to support the restoration of the woodland to native broadleaves. Project complements other woodland management work being undertaken with Defra capital funding.
Enhanced interpretation and habitat at High Leasowes. The High Leasowes Trust, Church Stretton.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £6,956.78, total project value £10,645.26
A project at this community-supported site which was purchased with community donations in 2023. The project, which will support habitat management and improve interpretation at the site, includes fencing and access gate to a newly created pond to exclude cattle and dogs, boundary fencing to enable management by grazing cattle. Purchase of electric fencing kit to allow grazing of meadow. Hedgerow restoration, gapping up, planting of 250 trees to link to existing woodland area. 2 x interpretation boards at main entrance and pond.
Fencing off River Clun and installation of solar pump. A Seabury & Co., Chapel Farm, Clunbury.
- November 2024 - March 2026. Awarded £6,314.08, total project value £7,874.08
Fencing off River Clun in three fields to provide a 0.7 ha buffer strip to prevent livestock access to the river and potential to create a wetland habitat. Installation of solar pump which will enable water to be pumped to five new livestock drinking troughs which in turn will enable a managed grazing system which previously was not possible due to lack of drinking water in fields not on the river margin.
Audit of nature-based solutions for selected areas on five different holdings in the Clun Valley. Shropshire Hills National Landscape.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £4,275.00, total project value £4,275.00
Five landowners all have areas of watercourse/wetlands on their holding. They find these areas difficult to farm and are seeking guidance on how best to move forward with the land to increase its biodiversity value and natural flood management potential. Project supported by Severn Rivers Trust who will visit each site to ascertain the best way forward with regards to managing the areas for improved biodiversity, flood management interventions and improved water quality.
Habitat Management to increase the Snipe Population at Stapeley Common. Leo Smith
Ornithological Surveys and Consultancy.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £4,127.50, total project value £4,127.50
Snipe is on the Amber List of Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK and Stapeley Common is one of only four known breeding sites in Shropshire. Snipe need very wet ground for feeding, close to nest sites. Soft rush and gorse have been increasing and encroaching onto the area of suitable habitat and both are contributing to the land drying out. Selected areas of soft rush will be cut and and 2.01 ha of gorse will be removed on the common.
Infrastructure to enable introduction of sheep into the arable rotation using herbal leys. S & R Jones, Penanheath Farm, Bishop’s Castle.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £30,411.70 , total project value £30,411.70
Introducing herbal leys into the farm's arable rotation and use sheep to graze as it will benefit soils and biodiversity, and reduce run-off, soil loss and flooding issues. Improvements to a cross-contour hedge will also slow the flow. The project provided 3,330 m of sheep netting fence to protect hedgerows and buffer strip as well as 77m of gapping up hedgerow and 98m of reinstating lost hedgerow.
Canine Farmsense. T Hallett, Upper Stapeley Farm, White Gritt.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £3,894.35, total project value £7,191.45
The project will offer a visitor attraction in the Shropshire Hills to support pet owners’ exposure to livestock in a safe, controlled manner, with the aim of helping to educate the public about wildlife and farming. Includes fencing off a small field to create a safe space for dogs and livestock to interact and promotion forthe initiative through media and marketing activities.
Protection and enhancement of Burnall’s Brook and adjacent semi-natural habitats. RJ & HM Sankey, Brow Farm, Ratlinghope.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £11,729.61, total project value £11,729.61
Fencing both banks of Burnall’s Brook to protect 600m of the watercourse, and enhance 3.55ha of riparian habitats, including alder & willow carr woodland and species rich grassland. Rejuvenating 40m of overmature hedgerow and planting 10 young trees to replace dying ash trees, and to increase age and species diversity across the holding.
Watercourse protection and renovation. M T Lewis & Son, Woodside Farm, Clun.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £14,591.23, total project value £14,591.23
A project to protect a tributary as it leaves the applicant’s land close to where it enters the River Clun. At present livestock can access the river and bankside vegetation is sparse. Project includes culverting the watercourse and covering with hardcore, fencing 300m of watercourse, coppicing bankside trees, planting 79m lost cross-contour hedgerow and installation of livestock drinking troughs and pipework.
Borehole to enable a nature friendly sustainable farm business. R & L Reynolds, Stone House, Newcastle on Clun.
- November 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £6,786.68, total project value £14,033.34
The farm is in the catchment of the Folly Brook which leads directly to the River Clun. Due to lack of an alternative water supply, grazing cannot be effectively managed as access to water is limited so fields have to be grazed as larger units. Wet flushes cannot be protected from livestock and sediment and nutrient pollution of the river cannot be prevented. The borehole and header tank will provide this alternative water supply. Severn Rivers Trust is match-funding the work alongside a series of agreed environmental works.
Wood pasture creation. Clement Robin Woodbine Parish, Lower Down Farm, Lydbury North.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £5,304.72, total project value £5,304.72
Project will create a wood pasture which will be used for grazing cattle and sheep. The intention is to plant 60 trees across 6.4 ha with cactus guards providing protection from livestock. Each tree will have 3 thorny shrubs planted closely with it to protect the tree from browsing.
Pool and wetland restoration and protection. S. Pennington & Son., Wilstone Farm, Church Stretton.
- December 2024 - March 2026. Awarded £4,424.91, total project value £12,124.91
An area of wetland, which formerly included a large area of open water has become infilled and willow scrub is now dominant. Through Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s Pond Project, two pools will be restored to benefit local Great Crested Newt populations. This work will add value by erecting 280m of new stock fencing to protect the new pools, install one field gate to enable controlled grazing, two river gates to protect wetland habitat, and coppice ten mature bankside trees.
Watercourse protection and habitat creation. C Evans & Son, Spring Hill Farm, Clun.
- November 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £7,700.56, total project value £7,700.56
The project will create new habitat in a field corner with restoration of historic hedge line, new fencing and tree planting. In the same field livestock will be excluded from a watercourse and water piped to two new livestock troughs reducing an area of poaching and sediment runoff, and the area fenced off to create habitat along the stream sides.
Enhancement and preservation of hedgerows, and protection of water course. Myndtown Parish
Fields, Norbury.
- November 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £6,335.00, total project value £6,335.00
Laying of 115 m of mature hedge between two fields owned by the Parish, using staking and binding for maximum effectiveness, gapping up as necessary to fully restore the hedge, and double fencing to protect from livestock. Fencing 120m along water course to prevent livestock soiling and poaching.
Equipment for School Visits. Earley Accommodation Ltd., School House Farm, Sheinton.
- December 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £9,895.95 , total project value £13,208.12
Widening the scope of current countryside experience offered by glamping site by encouraging school visits to visit the farm. The project will provide a unique 16 acre pasture left to re-wild bordered by a brook – scope of school visits will be expanded through a 4G wildlife camera for live feed footage, an undercover area to shelter from weather, 2 x compost toilets and 1 x wellie washer back at yard.
Improving soil carbon storage and soil organic matter. C O Watkins & Son, Powkesmore Farm, Ditton Priors.
- December 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £7,493.16, total project value £10,902.10
Rotational grazing equipment to be purchased in order to extend a rotational grazing system across a further 25ha, including cover crops in an arable rotation. To include 3 moveable solar electric fencing kits and 3 drag water troughs, 2 solar water pumps and stock fencing and gates to exclude stock from two ponds. This will also enable more stock moves, so the grass/cover crops/herbal leys can get longer rest periods.
Solar Powered Borehole. R J & K E Williams, Rockhill, Clun.
- January 2025 - March 2025. Awarded £8,161.90, total project value £23,873.40
Installation of borehole to connect to new water supply infrastructure to enable managed rotational grazing on improved grassland and permanent pastures across 120 acres. This will eradicate the
requirement to bring water to the holding in IBC containers from approximately 7 miles away in Knighton and lowering the usage pressures on the existing natural spring supplies and wetland habitats.
Coppice & Fencing Project to protect upland flush. Gwyn Jones & Partners, Weirstone Farm, Newcastle-on-Clun.
- January 2025 - March 2025. Awarded £4,692.83, total project value £4,692.83
A project to restore and fence an old hedgerow and protect an upland flush. The hedgerow is very overgrown, all one age and is currently prone to wind damage. The new fence will protect the coppice stools and also widen out at the north end to protect an upland flush which is currently grazed by livestock. Includes 220m of hedge row coppicing, 319m sheep netting fence,two wooden field gates.
People and Pasture Project. BT & JA Stead & Son, Greater Poston Farm, Craven Arms.
- February 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £6,472.26, total project value £8,046.62
The applicant would like to do more for visiting school children and adults to explain farming activities including where their food comes from, and how it is produced, as well as learning about habitats and wildlife on the farm. The project will provide a dry undercover meeting space for school and volunteer groups and toilet facilities by erecting a polytunnel and a compost toilet for use for all visitors to the farm.
Offa’s Dyke fencing and felling. H D Morgan-Jones.
- March 2025. Awarded £7,603.11, total project value £7,603.11
Trial project using temporary electric fencing to control cattle grazing on Offa’s Dyke as well as felling of two areas of trees which are currently damaging the Scheduled Ancient Monument – includes electric fencing for approx 225m alongside Offa’s Dyke within the scheduled ancient monument with a corridor to provide drinking access, fell two area of trees within the SAM and purchase three gates to aid cattle movement.