UK wildlife continues to decline. Farmland covers 70% of Gloucestershire, so holds the key to nature’s recovery. Current systems of food production focus on productivity and profit, without integrating nature’s ability to add resilience. It takes expertise, time and resources to support and inspire farmers to make changes and underpin food production with healthy, nature-rich landscapes. Time is running out, as each year goes by, future challenges increase and our work becomes harder.

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust works alongside farmers, landowners and communities, improving connectivity between existing wildlife sites and farm fields; critically aligning farming with environmental outcomes. This allows resurgent species to thrive and gives wildlife chances to spread. We need to reach many more farms to have the impact so urgently needed. By analysing current farmland species, grazing and haymaking potential, we can support change with management plans to restore habitats.