Work with us: Environmental Investment
We are keen to work in partnership with private businesses to enhance our local environment. With significant change within the agricultural industry over the next few years we are keen to look at new ways of investing in the countryside for the benefit of the environment, public enjoyment and businesses.
​
We would like to link management and investment in the landscape to the long-term needs of business and society. Business interests can range from resilient crop production, flood risk, carrying capacity of water catchments, management of carbon or biodiversity, to health and quality of life for their workforce.
​
We are working to identify our Natural Capital Assets and are currently undertaking carbon assessments of our farming businesses. These activities will help us develop a baseline of our natural assets and opportunities for carbon sequestration. The diversity within the Pewsey Downs and Vale including species-rich grassland, water courses and woodland in a mixed farming landscape offers an equally wide range of opportunities.​
What we can offer
Biodiversity Net-Gain
We have direct experience of biodiversity net-gain projects including a good understanding of the metrics and calculations both from the supply and demand side as well as the delivery of enhancement and creation projects. We can provide opportunities for the provision of off-site mitigation including for a range of protected species and priority habitats. We have extensive experience of maintaining and restoring and where possible, re-creating some of these habitats. This includes where management needs to be tailored for specific species.
Carbon Sequestration
Members of the Group are currently in the process of undertaking carbon assessments of their farms in conjunction with the Farm Carbon Toolkit to provide a baseline for our businesses and environmental improvements. We are working towards improving our soils, including building organic matter, and associated carbon levels. We can provide opportunities for tree planting, grassland creation and sequestration in agricultural soils.
Water quality & Catchment Management
Our Group crosses three Catchments, the Bristol Avon, Kennet and Hamsphire Avon. We are therefore well placed to address water quality issues. We work closely with Catchment Sensitive Farming and Water companies to improve the efficiencies of our farming businesses and addressing erosion and nutrient losses particularly nitrate, phosphate and sediment loss. Most recently we have worked with CSF, Wessex Water, Wiltshire County Council and Entrade to invest in and deliver projects to reduce phosphate losses to support nutrient neutral development within the catchment. This was undertaken as part of pilot for Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs).
We can offer developers opportunities to address their requirements for nutrient neutrality.
Sustainable Farming & High Quality Produce
We are keen to improve our soils and encourage regenerative agriculture techniques including mixed farming, reduced cultivations and cover cropping. We recognise that there are multiple benefits to more sustainable farming systems including healthy soils and agricultural ecosystems, more sustainable, robust farming businesses and high quality, healthy nutrient dense food.
If you would like to discuss your requirements and the opportunities further please contact Simon Smart (Group Facilitator) on 07748 155143, simon@slme.co.uk