Evenlode River Smarter Water Catchment Project
What has been achieved through the partnership between the Cluster and the Evenlode Catchment Partnership on Smarter Water Catchment?
Project Description
SWC grants have helped farmer engagement through various channels over four years. A grant helped catalyse the early formation of the North East Cotswold Farmer Cluster (NECFC) before Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Funding became available. Once established, the cluster has gone on to deliver a further 18 projects, plus knowledge exchange events. Projects delivered by the NECFC include soil carbon baselining, bird feeding and targeted habitat creation.
A SWC grant also supported the bid writing for our Evenlode Landscape Recovery (ELR) pilot, the ELR farmer liaison officer, and most recently a co-funded partnership role with Natural England to host a Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) advisor.
Start & End Date
2021-2025 facilitation funding
2022 - Landscape Recovery bid writing
2023-2025 Landscape Recovery Farm Liaison officer
2024-2025 Catchment Sensitive Farming Advisor
Objectives
Catalytic funding to:
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Write our successful Landscape Recovery Bid for c. £620,000 project development grant, and hopefully a 20 year implementation grant thereafter
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Constitute and build momentum in the NECFC, in readiness of ongoing public facilitation funding
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Match-fund the farmer liaison role to develop Land Management Plans on 64 farms in Landscape Recovery, in conjunction with other SWC activities
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Partner with Natural England and NECFC for joined-up action between public grants, ELR activity and SWC activity on the ground.
Objectives
The SWC funding seeded the engagement of 165 farms covering 50,000ha.
The combination of Catchment Partnership activity and farmer collaboration has enabled one of the most progressive river catchments in the country, exemplified by the development of the first multi-farm Landscape Recovery Pilot project.
Subsequent spin-off projects are pioneering new routes to private finance to enable more resilient businesses and natural systems in the Evenlode valley.
Project Highlights
The willingness and openness for the farming community to try new techniques, schemes and conservation initiatives, whilst battling climate change and a transition in government policy.
Lessons Learnt
Data, farmers and stakeholder engagement are all critical to establishing where, and how, nature recovery is best targeted and delivered.
Future Plans
20 years of Evenlode Landscape Recovery implementation