Mathew Cole feels the weight of expectation for the new HSL pilot
I recently attended the South West Uplands Federation (SWUF) conference, which included speakers from the national stage and more locally from Exmoor, Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor, all with their take on uplands and with one eye on the looming CAP reforms.
One of the key messages from one of the farmers was: “HLS is fundamentally a good scheme, the problem is it has a long list of prescriptions and a small wallet.” This statement highlights our concerns as farmers in the uplands, who are custodians of landscape, environment, public access and rural business, that not enough investment is being made in upland areas and more money needs to be found.
The other welcome message from Natural England was that a much more collaborative approach to HLS schemes is being taken. It seems that fewer staff and years of ESA agreements haven’t delivered anything other than an overgrown wilderness and fire risk on some commons.
They realise that asking the farmers their opinion may help. Farming Futures with the support of Natural England on Dartmoor is piloting a new approach to HLS on two commons, with a less prescriptive-based scheme with much more focus on agreed deliverable outcomes which will be monitored. It will be managed by the farmers and hopefully foster a collaborative, locally focused relationship between farmers, Natural England and other parties.
This was also discussed at the conference and, as one of the farmers who is helping to develop the pilot, I did feel the weight of expectation, as it did seem to be heralded as the beacon of hope for upland areas and HLS agreements in the future. As always, time will tell.
Mathew Cole, his brother Neil and parents Arnold and Bridget, farm 1,800 acres on and around Dartmoor. They keep South Devon and Galloway suckler cows as well as Scotch and Swale ewes on the hills with mule lambs bred to sell. They also have pedigree flocks of Bluefaced Leicester and Whiteface Dartmoor ewes.