News

A NEW LEASE OF LIFE FOR BELLINGHAM MOORS.

13th December 1999

The habitats and wildlife of Bellingham Moors near Kielder Forest have been given a new lease of life and, at the same time, seven farms on five different estates will benefit from increased incomes through improved health and welfare for their stock in winter. This win-win situation has arisen as a result of technical and financial help from The Northern Upland Moorland Regeneration Project, launched in October 1998. 3,700 hectares (just over14 square miles) of moorland at Bellingham are likely to benefit from the scheme.

Six farms in the area have had comprehensive business appraisals funded by the 5b Farm Business Support Project in Northumberland. They recommend a shift away from the last 20 years of intensive management of sheep and cattle, towards a more agri-environmental approach. Payments for reducing sheep stocking rates on the moors through Countryside Stewardship Schemes, funding to build winter animal housing, veterinary advice and even a breed improvement programme will ensure that the integrated plan is economically viable.

The overall aim of the Northern Upland Moorland Regeneration Project, initiated by the Moorland Association and funded by The European Objective 5b Programme, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, English Nature, and participating farmers and land owners, is to protect and improve heather moorlands for the benefit of grouse, sheep and wildlife. The moorland management systems planned and implemented by the project offer technical and financial assistance to farmers and landowners to integrate agriculture, sporting and environmental objectives, in order to increase farm incomes, improve job opportunities in rural areas and enhance the upland moorland environment.
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At present there are no viable breeding populations of Red Grouse or Golden Plover due to booming predator populations on the unkeepered moors. The project will be grant aiding three full-time and one part-time keeper to redress this balance, providing important and sustainable employment opportunities in a remote rural area. It is hoped that this new management will aid the recovery of the Red Grouse population to the extent that it will support commercial shooting days, providing income, casual labour opportunities and attracting new visitors to the area. The 5b Tourism Project has funded one farmer to convert farm buildings to accommodate new visitors throughout the year.

Says Andy Bunten, Regional Manager of the RSPB for Northumberland: “Intensive management of our farmed uplands has had a disastrous impact on our bird populations. This scheme offers a real chance to reverse this trend, restore some important bird numbers and learn more about the sustainable management of the uplands.”

Says Peter Welsh, English Nature’s Senior Officer for North East Yorkshire: “The blanket bog and heathland habitats of the Northern Uplands are recognised as being of international ecological importance and are scarce on a world scale. The work this project is carrying out is crucial to improving their condition in terms of vegetation and diversity of wildlife. The technical information, backed by financial assistance, on best farming and keepering practice, will help develop the moors into sustainable working and living environments, with all the social, environmental and economical benefits that integrated management brings.”






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Says Saya Harvey, Project Manager for the Northern Upland Moorland Regeneration Project: “The level of interest in the project has been high and we are very pleased with progress. We have had over 24 plans approved for grant aid, covering a wide range of integrated schemes to improve moorland management involving bracken control, heather re-seeding, erosion control, control of sheep grazing, livestock housing for the winter, grouse and keepering management and wetland management.

"We have secured the improvement and conservation of a total of 30,000 hectares to date and over the remaining two years of the project’s life there are a further 60,000 hectares (231 sq miles) in the pipeline throughout the 5b area, excluding the North York Moors.” Anyone wishing further details on the project should contact Saya at the project office on 01833 621061.