South Chilterns farmers and landowners cluster
In 2024 Mend the Gap hosted a meeting for more than 35 farmers and landowners in the south Chilterns to discuss how they might work together to enhance the region’s landscape. This has led to a farming in protected landscapes small grant and now a Mend the Gap grant for two years. This is a key part of the Mend the Gap legacy.
The formation of a new farm cluster 2025
Mend the Gap has funded a Future Nature Farm facilitator to facilitate the operation and development of the South Chilterns Farmer Cluster over a 2-year period.
The facilitation tasks will include organizing and hosting events with landowners in the Goring Gap. These will be farmer-led, in response to specific needs, interests and circumstances, working on building relationships between cluster members, engaging them around shared interests and training needs, and developing collaborative projects.
Topics covered may include:
- habitat management,
- climate resilience and action,
- regenerative agriculture
The facilitator will also seek to link group interests and activity to local and national initiatives and priorities, such as Local Nature Recovery Plans, and Net Zero targets. This will help the group identify their own aligned priorities for long-term action, engagement, and financial support, through government schemes and local partnership initiatives.
The facilitator will help with:
- 1:1 advice and guidance between the facilitator and cluster members.
- Detailed feasibility and implementation planning
- Ecological Surveys
- Habitat creation/restoration and management planning.
To find out more about what a farm cluster is please visit Farmer Clusters – For farmers, facilitators and advisors
Initial event in 2024
Held at Whitchurch-on-Thames in the heart of the Mend the Gap programme area, the event drew participants that own or manage a diverse variety of land types, from forestry estates to grazing pasture, and large-scale arable farms to small private meadows. An enthusiastic workshop session saw groups discuss topics such as regenerative agriculture, soil health, habitat creation and connection, and monitoring programmes. Speakers included Belinda Bown from the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South East and Nick Marriner, Landowner Engagement Officer at Chilterns National Landscape.
The day finished with the creation of an informal steering group, drawn from those in the room, who will now keep the group connected and drive forward plans to work towards common goals that will positively impact the landscape and wildlife of the area.