HEREFORDSHIRE farmers are set to benefit from a new project.

A group of Wildlife Trusts recently launched ‘Wilder Marches’, a project set has to restore nature and boost rural prosperity in Herefordshire and across the marches.

The scheme will span across two countries, four counties and three major river catchments. Herefordshire, Shropshire, Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire Wildlife Trusts have partnered to create and restore habitats throughout the Marches region.

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The ‘Wilder Marches’ initiative aims to enable a network of estates, farms, woods, nature reserves and commons to help nature recover once more whilst sustaining farm incomes in the face of intensive farming and extensive forestry plantations.

In a recent announcement, the key goals of ‘Wilder Marches’ were outlined as: restoring lost habitats, re-establishing natural processes across river channels, improving water quality, promoting remaining strongholds of rare species, creating ‘investible landscapes’, encouraging regenerative farming and developing local sustainable food production.

Tony Norman, a Herefordshire farmer, said: “With the impending loss of Basic Payments our industry will see a step change in the way we produce food. We must improve our soils, reduce our costs and 'stack up' other sources of income.

“Accessing payment for services such as carbon capture and storage, Biodiversity Net Gain and flood control, will enable improvements in linking vital nature habitats, as well as supporting activity such as hedgerow management and tree planting.”

"The Wilder Marches project can provide support for landowners during this transition. Its vision is to promote sustainable farming, green income streams and natural recovery to benefit wildlife and local farm businesses alike. By working together across the wider landscape, it will enable us to help clean up the rivers and streams of the Marches and to see more wildlife back on our farms.”

Iolo Williams, wildlife TV presenter and vice president for The Wildlife Trusts, says: “I adore the Marches and this exciting new project presents a fantastic opportunity to restore this once abundant landscape along the Welsh-English border.

“I’d love to see the fields of the Marches full of curlew, lapwing and yellow hammer, ponds brimming with newts and frogs, and flower-rich hay meadows buzzing with insects once again.

“Wilder Marches gives us a vision to help nature that’s in crisis and I urge everyone to support this initiative.”