Listed here are the projects which have received funding from the Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme in the Shropshire Hills between April 2025 and March 2026.
download full list of projects (2021-2025)
Curlew Country Curlew Recovery. Amanda Perkins, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust.
- May 2025 - March 2027. Awarded £70,630.48 , total project value £70,630.48
The project is intended to raise a maximum of 50 Curlew from eggs to fledgling stage from nest that are proven to be at risk of failure. The nests will be located and eggs collected as each egg is laid. Once raised the successfully hatched chicks will be returned to the landscape from where they were collected as eggs. They will then be monitored. Nest will also be monitored for adult activity. Eight adult Curlew will be caught and tagged by a BTO licenced ornithologist so that activity can be monitored all year around. A Curlew cam will be active and public awareness activities will be available. The egg collecting and chick rearing will be done under licence from Natural England. Landowner permission has been gained for access to nest sites.
Clun Catchment Farmers Collaboration and Information. Helen Oliver of Shropshire Hills National Landscape Team.
- May 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £9,091.50, total project value £9,091.50.
This project will allow for a series of events to be held within the Clun catchment area. The aim of these events is to give farmers the opportunity to share knowledge, gain confidence and knowledge to move forward with nature friendly farm businesses. Gain knowledge to be able to confidently access private of government funding that supports farm businesses. To support farmers individually or as a group in researching new nature friendly farming and encourage innovative ideas. To also provide a greater opportunity for a landscape scale sustainable farming network connection through collaboration.
The Graig Farm Link Up Project. Deirdre and Derek Bevan, A F Bevan.
- June 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £62,510.67 , total project value £70,969.07 .
This project will further extend the work that has already been completed on neighbouring farms to install fencing to enable controlled grazing management of Offas Dyke. It will also expand on the work of three previous FiPL projects on this farm which will allow another 50 ha to be grazed on a rotational basis by installing water troughs to the area. A species rich area will be fenced off to allow for more controlled grazing. Also, an additional 830m of new hedgerow will be planted. providing shelter whilst also increasing biodiversity and improving water infiltration.
Willow Tit Habitat. Matthew Mellor, Handless Farm
- June 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £23,166.60, total project value £23,166.60.
This project supports the creation of a new permanent pond (0.1ha). A new hedge of 120m will be planted and protected by fencing. This will allow the access to the pond to be managed appropriately. The water courses that lead to the pond will also be fenced off. A new boundary hedge of 70m with native species will be planted. A further 60m of established hedge will be coppiced to allow regeneration. Two areas of woodland will be created, both of 0.1ha in area, with native trees in one and heritage fruit trees in the other. These are both linked to the protected water courses. This project is expected to significantly enhance the natural environment and improve water quality flowing into Grifton brook and the river Onny. The pond will reduce the flow downstream reducing the amount of flooding. The habitat created will benefit many species including the Willow Tit.
Wetland Habitat Improvement. Philip and Carol Morris, Shukers.
- July 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £17,179.76 , total project value £17,179.76 .
This project is funding the restoration of two existing ponds and fencing 517m of associated ditches to exclude livestock from accessing. This will create a wetland habitat of approximately 0.25ha adjacent to Mardu brook to help to reduce the flow of water into the stream, preventing flooding downstream and creating better linkage between the watercourses and the flood plain. The slowing of the water will allow time for infiltration allowing greater drought resilience. 97m of existing will be rejuvenated. An important network of habitat connections will also be established with the protected ditches developing to provide habitat for a variety of species in situ and to serve as a network of routes for wildlife and the newly created ponds and wetland area acting as stepping stones complementing ponds created on adjacent land.
Bwlch Water Systems. Philip Williams, Bwlch Farm
- June 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £34,131.02 , total project value ££34,131.02
This project will enable a more managed grazing system, by expanding upon an existing water system to provide water to a further 4 fields, allowing grass to grow ahead of stock producing deeper rooting grasses and surface roughness, slowing water flow and encouraging infiltration. 1240m of fencing will be installed to protect environmental features. The pond will be reinstated and 3 leaky dams installed. A new hedge will be established (386m) and culverts installed to stop runoff onto the track. Overall this will reduce the flow of water downstream and increase the retention improving drought resilience. Stock will be prevented from accessing the water course ensuring cleaner, uncontaminated water. A new habitat will be able to generate within the fenced area, increasing biodiversity and wildlife.
Brynmawr habitat protection and interpretation . Paul and Trevor Wheeler, Brynmawr.
- July 2025- March 2026. Awarded £7,326.97 , total project value £7,326.97 .
SRT have recently located a pair of breeding beavers onto a 7ha enclosure on this farm. This area includes a stream and pond and approximately 3ha of rough grassland suitable for ground nesting birds. This project will enable the applicants to provide a predator free zone allowing ground nesting birds a higher chance of survival by heightening four gates and installing 1200m of electric fencing. This will also allow for the trees to re-establish. A wildlife watching hide/camera system will allow for a greater connection between the public and the countryside and allow for professional wildlife experts and specialist groups access to observe the behaviour and welfare of the beavers.
Educational Farm Visits for disadvantaged Children with The Country Trust. Kate Smith, The Country Trust.
- July 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £7,539.73 , total project value £7,539.73.
This project will enable local farmer (based in the SHNL) to provide 5 inspiring, hands-on day visits to their farm for 260 children and families from disadvantaged communities in and around the National Landscape. This will give children that may not have the chance normally the opportunity to explore the Shropshire Hills, learn about the countryside, how and where their food is produced.
Grazing for Nature at Pollardine Farm. Elizabeth Ann Hulton-Harrop, Pollardine Farm Partnership.
- July 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £33,927.86 , total project value £67,611.60 .
This project will assess how different pasture mixes perform in a regenerative grazing system by establishing 7 trial plots and using 4 different seed mixes. It will also improve the resilience of the native grasslands at pollardine by introducing a mix of Tall Fescue and Cocksfoot which are deep rooting grasses. Improved grazing management through, a phase 1 botanical survey with target notes and a visual evaluation of soil structure for each field. The information will be used as a baseline to develop an ecological vision plan for each field to ensure grazing planning will help to deliver the best nature outcomes. This will improve public understanding of regenerative land management and its potential delivering benefits to climate, biodiversity and farm profitability. Via a video and installing information plaques along public footpaths and public area at the farm.
Lime Pointing – Phase 2 Reilth House Historic Barns . Kathryn Williams, R J & K E Williams.
- July 2025- March 2026. Awarded £14,283.00 , total project value £17,853.75 .
This project allows for a continuation of lime pointing works to a traditional farm building. This is a continuation of work that was funded through the Historic Building Restoration Grant. The applicant now intends to undertake further lime repointing works to stop the ingress of rainwater through the failed joints in the stone work. The intention is to preserve these stone barns due to the historic value.
Wendy Bannerman, Access Field Officer, British Horse Society.
- June 2025- March 2026. Awarded £12000.00 , total project value £27,000.48
This project will enable a stretch of the Jack Mytton Way to be restored and enhanced, providing more resilience in the future to high rainfall events. Approximately 200m of the original bridleway had become damaged and was no longer safe for Hore riders. This project will fund the reinstating of an access road to allow for the machinery to be transported to the location of repair and the repair of 200 m of bridleway to be repaired.
Whinchat habitat and bracken management on the Long Mynd . Leo Smith, Ornithological Surveys and Consultancy.
- June 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £5,042.60 total project value £12,873.00
The project will locate as many Whinchat nests and territories as possible, monitor the outcomes of the nests, map the nest sites and surrounding territories The data will then be used to advise the National Trust of the nesting areas to ensure that the bracken management they undertake can improve the Whinchats habitat without damaging any nest sites.
Horticulture and Wildlife Area at Lower Bush Farm. Rowanna Britten, Lower Bush Farm CIC .
- June 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £9,056.82 , total project value £11,321.03
The project will provide an accessible horticulture space with raised beds, a polytunnel and pollinator friendly plantings. This is designed for adults and children with additional needs and Level 1 horticulture students. This course offers inclusive and sustainable learning opportunities whilst promoting environmental awareness and horticultural skills in a durable and welcoming environment for long term use for multiple people.
Water Supply at Black Bank. David Littlehales, S A and S A Littlehales
- July 2025- March 2026. Awarded £6,026.74, total project value £8,400.40
This project enables the water to be pumped from an existing water source to a header tank. It can then be used to supply four fields (28 acres) that currently have no water supply. The water will be pumped via a solar pump and will allow for better grazing management and therefore improved soil health.
Habitat Management to increase the Snipe Population at Stapeley Common (Phase2). Leo Smith Ornithological Surveys and Consultancy.
- September 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £11,517.00 , total project value £11,517.00
This project is funding habitat management of an area of Stapeley Common by removing 10.34 ha of gorse and cutting most of the soft rush, interspersed in the gorse areas and surrounding them, initially by machine, then using a brush – cutter on the wetter ground. This is following on from a successful first phase completed in 2024/25.
The management of this area will be monitored via surveys with a project report being competed. This will facilitate future monitoring and habitat management decisions for this site.
Guilden Down Habitat and Water Project. J Gwilliam & Sons.
- August 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £30,273.25, total project value £30,273.25
This project will enable the enhancement of 1.2km of watercourse, a tributary to the river Clun, with an area of 4.78 ha of watercourse and banks by fencing. The area frequently discharges large quantities of water and sediment into the river Clun potentially causing damage to the banks over time. A FiPL funded water audit had been carried out previously which identified the potential works required to alleviate the pressures to the riverbanks. The work consists of a new hedge of 258m be planted, 185 m of coppicing and 1367m of sheep netting be installed. 290m of new pipework and 4 troughs be installed to provide alternative water source for livestock. Dams be created via bespoke tree work within the dingle.
Habitat Enhancement. James Thomas, Coed Yr Hendre.
- August 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £6,717.86 , total project value £8,591.06
This project is funding a new solar pump to replace an existing petrol generator and the planting of new tee plantation consisting of 400 trees. An existing plantation consisting of 1000 oak, walnut, guelder rose, birch, privet and hazel will be fenced to protect the area from livestock grazing and trampling. The environmental benefits are increased tree cover, which will also provide shade and shelter to livestock as well as an increased resilience within the landscape and a reduction in flood risk. The additional trees will also provide new habitats and mini ecosystems. The improvement in water supply via the solar pump will enable better grazing management for livestock and therefore improve soil health in the long term.
Bracken and Gorse Management on the LongMynd Common. The National Trust.
- August 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £31,757.60, total project value £49,251.80
This project will enable the delivery of bracken and gorse management at scale across the Long Mynd continuing the progress towards favourable site of scientific interest condition and a safer, thriving working common. Work of this nature was undertaken via a FiPL project previously. This will provide a further 160ha of mechanical bracken control, 20 ha of chemical control and 45 ha of gorse management. The outcome of the bracken management is to reduce the loss of existing wildlife habitat and allow larger areas to be accessed by livestock for grazing purposes that are currently impenetrable due to the density of the Bracken.
Habitat Creation and Water Storage at Lower Dyffryn Farm . HJS, TL and DW Davies.
- October 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £4,803.45, total project value £6,603.45
This project is funding the installation a 10,000-litre water storage tank near to an existing well on the farm. The water will then be pumped using a solar pump to an area of the farm that doesn't have water readily available. The drinking water is currently a spring which is being damaged by livestock access which is causing nutrient and sediment pollution. This will be mitigated by the installation of two troughs so that livestock will have permanent access to water. The area of the well will be fenced off, therefore creating a new habitat for wildlife.
Grazing Management and Soil Protection at Upper Ledwych. G W Sanders & Son.
- October 2024 - March 2025. Awarded £9,851.80 , total project value £11,407.47
This Project will enable the existing amount of land that is currently in a rotational grazing programme to be increased. This will improve the current management reducing the movement between pastures from 7-10 days to 2-3 days preventing the herbal lays to be grazes down. Therefore, increasing the area of improved soil health. This will be achieved by using hybrid electric fencing and additional water supply infrastructure. Habitat diversity will also be increased by planting an additional 47 trees and shrubs, 27 of which will be in a hedgerow to increase shade and 20 planted to extend the woodland edge habitat in a 16-acre field. This will be protected by a new fence. A further fence will be erected to enhance further diversity to grassland.
Enhancing and Protecting Species – Rich Habitats through Livestock Housing, Wetland Creation and Redstart Habitat works . R Dan & Son .
- August 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £109,584.82, total project value £144,780.83
This project is focused on enhancing, protecting and creating species rich habitats throughout the farm. There are four main components spread across 7 areas of the two farms. The construction of a new shed that will provide educational access, the farm will facilitate five educational visits to the farm. The protection of an old quarry hole grassland habitat of 1450m2 which is species rich. The creation of wetland habitats, these will consist of 4 linear wetland habitat features, wildlife profiled ditches, shallow scrapes and pools, seepage barriers and hibernacula. The creation of two additional redstart belts.
Pennerley and Area Habitat Work. J L & J Bennett.
- August 2025 - March 2026. Awarded £ , total project value £
This project is designed to enhance previous work carried out via FiPL and to create new habitat. There are three elements that make up this project which consist of fencing off water courses and installing water troughs for livestock, interpretation boards and a bench on a public foot path.