Farmers in West Cornwall are facing ‘disastrous’ consequences after Natural England has notified more than 3,000 hectares as a Site of Special and Scientific Interest (SSSI).
One third generation dairy farmer owns 150 acres in Penwith – and all 150 acres have been notified.
Penwith Moors was notified by Natural England, a government body, on October 7 as a SSSI in recognition of its national importance for wildlife.
The designation will recognise the resulting special features of 59 parcels of semi-natural habitat and farmland spanning over 3,100 hectares, stretching from St Just to St Ives.
Once notified, land owners must apply to Natural England for consent to carry out certain activities, including ploughing, feeding stock, spreading manure and pest control.
A four-month period of consultation is now open, but farmers across the region are concerned about the impact of the restrictions that apply to farming in SSSIs.
Gerald Thomas runs 150 Guernsey cows on his 150 acre farm – and the whole 150 acres are marked to become SSSI.
He said: “Ours is the worst affected farm as the SSSI includes all our clean pastureland.
“Many farmers are very worried, obviously, but for us it will be disastrous.
“We produce close on one million litres of Channel Island milk for a Cornish creamery but we will have to give up the dairy.
“You feel like the rug has been pulled from under you.”
Mr Thomas has owned the West Penwith farm for 50 years and his son and grandson now run the farm.
“Natural England wants to preserve the moorland, but after 50 years on this farm I see that the moorland is still the same as it was.
“The moorland and heathland is like it is because farmers have been looking after it forever.
“The problem is not the inclusion of moorland and heathland in the SSSI, most people don’t mind that – it’s the inclusion of clean land.
“Natural England doesn’t want us to use fertiliser or slurry on pastureland but that means there won’t be enough food for the herd, so we’ll have to give up dairy farming.”
Eric Murley runs 250 Jerseys on two dairy farms in Pendeen. They have 20 acres that have been notified which are essential for growing grass for the cattle and for making sileage.
“Mr Thomas is affected so badly, and we feel we should be behind him and all the other farmers.
“Although we’re lucky that only 20 acres of the land we farm is in the designation, we’ve got 26 conditions put on it, meaning that written permission is needed.
“I’ve asked Natural England three times if I can spread lime and I’ve been told no.”
Natural soil in West Cornwall is acidic, which gorse and brambles thrive on. In order to grow grass for livestock, daffodils and vegetables, the pH needs to be neutral. This has been achieved for generations by adding lime.
Mr Murley says that if the SSSI is confirmed, he will not use his 20 acres and would have to reduce the number of his herd as a result since he would not have enough grass or sileage.
“Cattle have grazed the rough land for years, now it’s suddenly designated SSSI and permission is needed.
“Nature is important and continues to thrive alongside farming. I can see why they want the SSSI but is it worth putting farmers out of business for a few bogs?”
Mr Thomas’ niece Hannah Olds owns 45 acres of croft land which she uses to feed her four cows and calf over winter as she doesn’t have enough fields to make sileage.
She said: “It’s so worrying. I’ve worked all my life and we’ve worked generation after generation for what we’ve got it and now Natural England want to take it away.
“If they’re taking over our croft land, when will they come for our fields?”
A Natural England spokesperson said: “Natural England has notified Penwith Moors as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its national importance for lowland heathland, wetland and lowland acid grassland.
“In order to protect the quantity and quality of water feeding the special wetland areas, known as valley mires, some areas of farmland representing the most hydrologically significant parts of the wetland catchments are also included in the SSSI boundary.
“This is because the valley mires in the Penwith Moors have developed under the influence of low nutrient acidic water emerging from the granite bedrock and these sensitive wetland communities are vulnerable to the nutrient status of the water that feeds them.
“In order to ensure protection of the mire habitats it’s critical that farming activities in the catchment do not lead to levels of nitrogen loss into the groundwater which would impact on the sensitive wetland features.
“Viable farming systems are vital for the recovery of the site into favourable condition and Natural England will be working with the local farming community over the coming years to achieve this together.”
The four-month consultation period ends on February 7, 2023 and contributions can be made here.
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