FWAG Silver Lapwing finalists are announced

The six finalists of the FWAG Silver Lapwing Awards for 2009 were announced at a FWAG reception held during the Game Fair at Belvoir Castle on Saturday 25 July.

Speaking at the reception Charles Beaumont, FWAG Trustee and a judge of the FWAG Silver Lapwing Award announced the six finalists as:

• Henry Lang of The Lang Partnership, Home Farm, Curry Rivel, Somerset
• Henry Edmunds of Cholderton Estate, Salisbury, Wiltshire
• Ian Boyd of Whittington Lodge Farm, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
• Alistair Brooks of Waddesdon Farms, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
• Julia Hawley of J Hawley and Sons, Hall Farm, Brentingby, Leicestershire
• Patrick and Brian Barker of E J Barker and Sons, Lodge Farm, Westhorpe, Suffolk

Aimed at farmers and landowners who demonstrate outstanding commitment to conservation and environmental management, the FWAG Silver Lapwing Awards reward the very best land managers who can show a track record of environmental best practice integrated into a commercially successful farming enterprise for more than three years.

In 2009 - FWAG's 40^th anniversary year- the Awards are being sponsored for the first time by Waitrose in association with Coombe Farm, one of FWAG's commercial partners. 

Andy Ormiston, Managing Director of FWAG said:  "We received a record number of entries to this year's competition and the standard was higher than ever. All of the entries demonstrated a commitment to good environmental management that had been truly integrated into the farm business."

Waitrose Director of Buying for Meat, Poultry, Fish, Frozen and Dairy, Heather Jenkins said ""The high standard of entries is testament to the commitment shown by farmers developing agri-environment schemes. By recognising best practice I hope other land managers are encouraged to look at new ways to conserve wildlife and further integrate environmental schemes within their businesses".

The judging tour of the finalists' farms will take place between 9 - 11 September 2009. 

The FWAG Silver Lapwing Awards will be presented by BBC TV presenter Jimmy Doherty at an award ceremony in the House of Commons on 28 October.   The overall winner will receive a cheque for £1,000.

Further Information on the six finalists:

Henry Lang, Home Farm, Curry Rivel, Somerset

400 ha - sheep and arable

Most of the habitats on the farm have been restored or re-created and these include a species rich hay meadow, 4 traditional cider orchards, several ponds and the traditional buildings.  "Indicator species" are now increasing across the farm - breeding lapwing returned to the farm in 2 locations, wild grey partridge are breeding in one of 4 known locations in Somerset, lesser horseshoe bats have been accommodated in building maintenance, marbled white butterflies are now abundant in wildflower margins and 48 pairs of red list farmland birds have been spotted.

Henry Edmunds, Cholderton Estate, Salisbury, Wiltshire

1095 ha - Dairy, beef, Sheep, arable, root crops, forestry

The whole area is farmed organically and a build up of invertebrate predators ensure that there are no insect pest problems.  The estate is farmed to allow the movement of wildlife by providing continuity of habitats.  There has been extensive restoration of the down land on the farm.    Hedges are carefully managed to maximise their value for birds.  The estate has calculated its carbon balance and has a very good understanding of all the issues around energy use and carbon foot printing.

Ian Boyd, Whittington Lodge Farm, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

290 ha - beef, arable, woodland

The encouragement of wildlife is one of the business aims of the farm.   Hereford cows were purchased specifically to manage the 90 ha of grassland to encourage species-rich calcareous grassland and a diverse sward.  4 ha of traditional orchards have been planted and 3 ponds created and conservation headlands adopted on the arable land which are particularly valuable for grey partridge chicks.   As part of the process of joining HLS the Boyds have been looking at resource protection and arable fields have been reverted to organic extensive grassland on steep slopes.

Alistair Brooks, Waddesdon Farms, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

1885 ha - sheep, suckler cows, arable, forestry

The farm has committed to protecting and improving its hedgerows, woodland, field margins, permanent pasture and arable land.  Strategic replanting of hedgerows and woodlands is being undertaken to improve their longevity.  There are uncultivated grass margins along all arable fields and stubble is retained as habitats for farmland birds and arable weeds. Two holts have been installed and otters have been recorded on numerous occasions.  A beetle bank has been created allowing the transit of wildlife and a significant growth in the population of beneficial insects.    The whole estate is taking a serious step towards renewable energy and carbon audits are conducted on a regular basis with the aim of becoming carbon negative.   

Julia Hawley, Hall Farm, Brentingby, Leicestershire

120 ha - dairy, beef, sheep, arable

This farm manages to combine good environmental management with intensive dairy production.  The River Eye, which runs through the farm, is an SSSI and supports otters, water voles, white-clawed crayfish and a wide range of plants and insects.  There are also some very old hedges, 7 ponds and numerous wet ditches.    There has been extensive hedge laying on a 3 year cutting rotation, pollarding of old willows, 2m margins around the wheat/ryegrass rotation, 2 patches of wild bird seed cover, small scale tree plantings and fencing of streams to restrict to livestock and help reduce diffuse pollution.  There have been 94 species of birds recorded on the farm. 

Patrick and Brian Barker, Lodge Farm, Westhorpe, Suffolk

510 ha - sheep, arable, woodland

The production of food is the primary enterprise of the farm and is always given priority but in recent years a healthy balance has been forged to allow as much wildlife to prosper without affecting the farm's output.  The main conservation aim of the farm has been to increase farmland bird populations and protect the colony of Great Crested Newts present.  Over the past 3 years 85 species of bird have been recorded including 13 BAP species spotted on a regular basis.   8km of new permissive paths have been created for walkers and horse riders, all of which link up to existing bridleways and footpaths.