With the Wild CIC

Thanks to the generous grant funding provided by Exmoor National Park through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, we have successfully achieved a variety of positive outcomes including:

1. Increased Carbon Sequestration and Storage: By implementing no-dig methods and using ramial wood chips, we are enhancing soil organic matter, which leads to greater carbon sequestration and storage in the soil.

2. Reduced Flood Risk: The planting of additional agroforestry trees across the site, along with increased soil organic matter through no-dig, minimal tillage, and permanent pasture systems, helps water penetrate deeper into the soil and retain moisture. This reduces surface runoff into the flood-prone Roadwater Valley.

3. Improved Understanding of Carbon and Climate Benefits: The Community Market Garden provides year-round organic produce to the local community, reducing food miles and carbon emissions. These benefits are promoted through the Roadwater Community Shop. Additionally, the polytunnels (to be erected in early 2025) will enhance educational opportunities on the farm, offering sheltered learning spaces and increasing fresh produce supply for local schools. As part of the "With the Wild Food & Farming Outreach Education" programme, this initiative supports sensory food education and aligns with the National Food Strategy recommendations. Out training, education, and community events  also foster greater awareness of the ecological benefits of different land uses and habitats, demonstrating how regenerative farming can contribute to achieving net zero.

4. Enhanced Landscape Resilience to Climate Change: The new polytunnels will create a controlled environment for food production, ensuring reliable yields in varying climate conditions. The wider diverse farming system, which includes perennial crops, 100% pastured livestock, and landrace grains, increases resilience to climate change. Agroforestry also provides shade and wind protection, reducing soil evaporation and promoting soil health, ensuring a stable supply of seasonal local food year-round.

5. Creation of Wildlife-Rich Habitats: The agroforestry tree planting establishes new habitats that support a wider range of wildlife, enriching the farm’s biodiversity. We are also working with ENPA Sowing the Seeds project to develop our wildflower meadows - vital habitats which have seen a devastating decline over the past 100 years largely due to the impact of industrial farming practices.  

6. Improved Habitat Connectivity: New hedgerows and agroforestry rows act as wildlife corridors, offering shelter and protection for animals along the edges of grassland habitats.

7. Better Biodiversity Management in Existing Habitats: By introducing silvopasture at the woodland edges, we are creating beneficial transition habitats that improve biodiversity management.

8. Increased Biodiversity: The farm’s core objective is to increase biodiversity. Through thoughtful design, we are developing a thriving ecosystem that supports a diverse range of life—from soil organisms to larger wildlife. The projects under this programme contribute to creating a wildlife-rich habitat that harmonizes with food production.

9. Greater Opportunities for Public Engagement with the Landscape: Our training, educational programmes, and community events in permaculture, agroecology and agroforestry offer opportunities for farmers, land managers, and the public to explore, enjoy, and gain a deeper understanding of the landscape’s ecological value and its potential for climate resilience.

10. Stronger, Nature-Friendly Sustainable Farm Businesses: The start up funding received from FiPL enabled us to increase the rate of our implementation plan, enhancing the farm's economic viability and transitioning from monoculture wheat production to a diverse, wildlife-rich ecological landscape. This ensures year-round food production and boosts the farm’s resilience as a sustainable enterprise, contributing to the local economy while promoting ecological and community benefits through nutritious, seasonal food and agroecological practices.