The Farmed Environment Company is a totally independent company that recognises that food production should not be at the expense of the environment; equally that farming must remain viable within environmental needs. The company concentrates on assisting with this balance through research, trials, demonstrations, liaison and technology transfer to the farming community. The company has many years experience in the creation and management of field margin

and wildflower work but other topics include set-aside management technique, buffer strips, pesticide usage and habitat creation. Below are detailed some aspects of the company's work.

This picture shows a one-year old sown herb-rich margin that has been managed with a specific herbicide (the foreground is unsprayed, the background has been sprayed). The use of herbicides as environmental management tools is quite possible. Use of a herbicide spray has removed unwanted weed grasses without harming the sown grasses & flowers. This has allowed the sown species to thrive and fill the gaps otherwise occupied by the weed grasses.

A three-year old herb-rich margin sown on a very fertile soil. The presence of high levels of fertility causes excessive growth that reduces the value of the sown mix. The use of repeated cutting helps to reduce the excessive growth. This particular margin was cut 3 times each year.

This picture is the same sown mix as above but has only been cut once each year. The high level of inherent fertility has irretrievably destroyed the sown species. Biodiversity is much more than sowing a mix and hoping, ongoing and careful management are required if an enhanced environment is to be delivered.

Crop yields under trees and pylons are poor when compared to the open field. Also, trees and farm machinery are damaged by farming under such obstacles and the use of tree islands appear to provide an ideal opportunity to sow such areas to benefit wildlife.

This field was taken out of cropping 6 years before this picture was taken. The soil is thin chalk and produced unprofitable yields. A specific mix of chalk-land grasses and flowers were sown and managed in order to create this vivid example of what is achievable when taking poor land out of production and creating a wild flower meadow. Many farmers would like to produce "public goods" like this but if the meadow produces no income we have to ask how?

Manor Farm, headquarters to the Farmed Environment Company. The coloured strips and areas indicate margins, habitats and research areas that have integrated throughout the farm without loss of overall productive capacity or profit.

The aims of the Farmed Environment Company are supported by:

Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
RSPB
The Wildlife Trusts
LANTRA
LEAF
Living Countryside Ltd

and the company can be contacted at:

Manor Farm
Eddlethorpe
Malton
North Yorkshire

Telephone: 01653 617352
Farmed Environment Company

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