The Quantock Hills National Landscape Team and Somerset Council will be working in partnership to develop a flagship demonstrator farm near Nether Stowey.
New Stowey Farm is a 45-hectare holding on the border of Nether Stowey, at the eastern edge of the Quantock Hills National Landscape. The farm was previously tenanted, most recently for grazing, and will continue to operate as a working farm, employing regenerative agriculture techniques. The partnership aims to create nature rich farmland through habitat creation and restoration, realise carbon sequestration and climate actions and engage communities to increase understanding of agriculture and provide opportunities for learning, training and volunteering.
The National Landscape Team will work with a range of stakeholders, including graziers, community groups and environmental experts to demonstrate the potential of New Stowey Farm to deliver a range of agricultural, environmental, climate and community benefits.
Visitors to the site will notice some changes in the coming months. The barn will be rebuilt, grazing livestock will be reintroduced and the rights of way network across the farm will be improved. Our longer term aims include establishing a community orchard, planting in-field trees, improving woodland health, and assessing how modifications to the stream can restore natural hydrological processes.
Iain Porter, Quantock Hills National Landscape Manager said “National Landscapes Partnerships have committed to restore nature, increase climate resilience through working with farmers and land managers. New Stowey Farm presents huge opportunities to engage our communities to develop and showcase the opportunities agriculture has to deliver on many public benefits.”
Mark Baker, Quantock Hills National Landscape Projects Manager said “It has never been more important to understand how farming can sustain livelihoods whilst responding to the climate and ecological emergencies. We’re eager to preserve and promote the economic and cultural value of New Stowey as a working farm and explore how livestock can promote biodiversity and resilience to a changing climate. This will contribute to the National Landscape’s nature recovery plans across the greater Quantock Hills area. Most importantly we aim to involve local communities with this work. Look out for further details.”
Dixie Darch, Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change, Somerset Council, and Vice-Chair Quantock Hills National Landscape Partnership said “I am so excited about this opportunity to showcase what can be done through regenerative farming, working with nature alongside food production. This will be a learning project for all of us as we witness how the land at New Stowey Farm responds to a new kind of management and stewardship. This is a great example of what can be achieved through the partnership of Somerset Council and the Quantock Hills National Landscape team.”