Farmers on land famous for appearing in Dickens’ Great Expectations have won funding from a government scheme, designed to protect wildlife and sustain the beauty of the English countryside. Four Kent tenant farmers on our Allhallows and Cliffe Estates which in combination total 1,400 acres, have won a long-term subsidy from Natural England under the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreement. It means they must take steps to encourage biodiversity and ensure wildlife habitats in their care are sustained and improved. In return they will receive around £20,000 government funding per year for The marshes of Cliffe were described in Great Expectations Much of the land at Cliffe Marshes is wet grassland managed as grazing sites for cattle, sheep and horses. Tenant farmer Keith Loveridge works nearly 300 acres on the site. normal work. It works too, I’ve seen a huge amount of species’ numbers increasing.” He added: “The land will have to be kept in a good condition for 10 years, according to the HLS agreement, and we will continue to work with tenant farmers and Natural England to achieve this.” |
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