Farmers work with National Trust to boost wildlife

Farmers are teaming up the National Trust to create hundreds of acres of woodland to boost native songbirds, wildlife and farming.

The trust is supporting some of its tenant farmers in Purbeck through a government-funded nature-friendly farming programme.

The scheme plans to establish 380 hectares (940 acres) of wildlife-rich habitat across the district.

Farmers will be planting 60,000 trees and shrubs over the next six years, to create wood pasture for nesting, roosting and foraging sites birds can use.

The National Trust hopes the initiative will help birds like the yellowhammer, linnet and goldfinch, as well as rare turtle doves and nightingales.

The scheme is being paid for through a taxpayer-funded environmental land management scheme.

Ben Cooke, area ranger for the National Trust at Purbeck, said: "We haven't yet lost Purbeck's soundscape but over the last 70 years its volume has quietened, with some birds - and their respective birdsong - disappearing altogether.

"By restoring wood pasture, we want to reverse this trend and bring back a cacophony of birdsong and the hum of insects.

"Imagine how fantastic it would be if the calls of currently absent species such as the turtle dove can be attracted to return, to became part of our lives again."

National Trust tenant farmer, Jake Hancock, looks after land in Middlebere on the Purbeck Heaths.

He said: "Farming with nature in mind like this means we can expect to see more wildlife return over time, which is very exciting.

"As the project progresses, we will also be able to take school children and other interest groups to see the farm regularly to teach them about food production and wildlife and inspire them about the work we are doing."

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