Share

Wiltshire Farm to have nature-rich future thanks to innovative partnership with roots in the past

The National Trust and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust have formed a groundbreaking partnership to transform the farm at Great Chalfield Manor.

The National Trust and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust have formed a groundbreaking partnership to transform the farm at Great Chalfield Manor in Wiltshire into a thriving hub for nature’s recovery and regenerative farming.

This collaboration marks a new chapter for the historic estate, which has been in the care of the National Trust since 1943, when the manor and part of the estate was gifted to the heritage and conservation charity, with around 20,000 people visiting the medieval manor and garden each year.

Great Chalfield Manor

Credit: James Beck

Alongside the announcement of this new partnership, the National Trust has acquired a further 33 hectares (82 acres) of land to ensure the countryside setting of the farm is protected for decades to come.

An additional collaboration with the Great Western Community Forest will see 11,000 trees planted in a way that integrates them into the farming system as woodland blocks, agroforestry and wood pasture for climate resilience.

The farm and estate are currently cared for by the original donor’s grandson Robert Floyd and his wife Patsy who have also farmed the land for several decades in a nature friendly way. Due to their upcoming retirement from farming, the National Trust has acquired this farmland to extend the wider estate within its care and has today announced plans to lease 138 hectares (340 acres) to the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. This partnership is particularly meaningful as Robert Floyd's father, Charles, was one of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s founders.

Aerial view of Great Chalfield

Credit: James Beck

The aim for the land is to develop a learning hub where farmers and landholders can learn how to develop a range of nature-based solutions. This will include the creation of species-rich grassland and hedgerows, wood pasture and ponds to tackle the nature and climate crisis and access new markets for environmental services as part of a regenerative farming system that prioritises soil health.

It will also allow the two charities to demonstrate how farmers can unlock new sources of Green Finance like Biodiversity Net Gain by integrating nature-based projects in their farming system creating new income streams for landowners and farmers while also regenerating the soil, improving climate resilience and supporting nature’s recovery.

The manor and garden will continue to open to visitors, welcomed by Robert and Patsy on behalf of the National Trust.

My late father used to say - ‘It all starts with the plants’, so this is a wonderful opportunity now to create positive interaction between nature and our farming communities.

This new partnership will demonstrate how cost effective arable and livestock farming can flourish alongside creating and caring for resilient habitats and increasing biodiversity. This will build on the work we’ve been doing for half a century where we have created and maintained wildlife corridors and habitats on the farm.

With sustainable farming initiatives, there will be opportunities to generate income through biodiversity net gain, and to plant more trees and hedgerows, where appropriate, but especially trees on the poorer, less productive land which will help absorb carbon, and create new homes for nature.
Robert Floyd
We are excited to be working with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Great Western Community Forest to find a new future for Great Chalfield.

By working in partnership with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, we will be able to create more space for nature, address the climate crisis and demonstrate how through a partnership such as this we can deliver for people and for nature.

Great Chalfield will become a place where nature can continue to thrive, where tree planting will help address the challenges of climate change and where people will be able to come to see first-hand how our land can be managed for nature and food production.
Ian Wilson
National Trust Director of Operations for Wiltshire and Dorset

Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s plan is to balance the needs of nature’s recovery, climate resilience and food production at Great Chalfield, and to support farmers to understand the new incentive framework for nature-friendly farming. It believes that only farmers can lead the way to nature’s recovery in a farming county like Wiltshire and restore the abundance of much-loved farmland birds like skylarks, yellowhammers, lapwing and grey partridge.

We’re delighted to be taking on the management of this land as part of this exciting collaboration with the National Trust and Great Western Community Forest.

This collaboration brings Wiltshire Wildlife Trust back to the family home of our former Chair, whose father was one of the Trust’s founders.

Great Chalfield has always been a special place, where space is made for nature in the farmed landscape. One of our aims is to create a learning hub for nature-friendly farmers, showcasing how nature and trees can be an integral part of a regenerative farming system, and how green finance can help make that profitable too.
Joanna Lewis
Chief Executive of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
Securing this land on behalf of the National Trust with Trees for Climate funding demonstrates Great Western Community Forest’s commitment to working with landowners in achieving sustainable and productive environmental objectives and goals. It is anticipated that this way of farming at Great Chalfield will be a benchmark of how farming methods can integrate trees back into the agricultural landscape.
E James Speller
Great Western Community Forest Director Trees for Climate Programme

The first steps for the site will be for the team to assess the land for baseline data to ensure the charities understand the history, existing biodiversity and agricultural value.

This work will include soil testing to understanding the sites hydrology, tree surveys and assessing grazing rotations.

In partnership with the Great Western Community Forest, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust will immediately start work on the tree-planting initiative. WWT has an active body of over 2,000 volunteers who support their work including tree-planting initiatives. For more information and to get involved, visit www.wiltshirewildlife.org/volunteering

Related news