FARMERS and land managers on Exmoor are being urged to put forward sustainability ideas to bid for Government funding.

A range of projects are eligible for money from the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, which is run by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

It is open to applications on Exmoor for projects which can be delivered by March, 2025, and achieve objectives such as:

  • Supporting nature recovery

  • Mitigating the impacts of climate change

  • Providing opportunities for people to discover, enjoy, and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage

  • Protecting or improving the quality and character of the landscape or place

Already on Exmoor there are many examples of projects which have received FiPL funding.

More than three miles of wildlife-rich hedgerows and 1,335 acres of regenerative farming and research into improved management across 1,730 acres of moorland are among a raft of local projects awarded FiPL funding.

They include tree planting and orchard restoration, moorland grazing management, meadow restoration, and support for species rich grasslands.

Lee Abbey farm manager Simon Gibson said: “We made an application to improve access to some of Lee Abbey’s woodlands and repair a fallen dry stone wall that was not keeping the famous ‘Valley of Rocks’ goats off our land.

“We were able to engage a group of volunteers to rebuild the wall on a difficult and steep cliff top and receive full funding for a tall fence to keep the goats off the wall.

“Working with Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) on FiPL was a breath of fresh air.

“It was run by local people who knew what they were talking about, keen to make the available money work for our farm.

“The criteria were clear and simple without lots of codes and handbooks to plough through.

“I felt I could design the scheme, I wanted and ask for the things I thought would achieve our aims.

“We were delighted to work with the ENPA rights of way team to convert some existing footpaths to permissive bridleways and adding some existing tracks not previously open to the public to the bridleway network.

“We were able to make more circular routes and link with a neighbour’s campsite, café, and riding centre with a new footpath creation allowing campers a better route to the beach.

“We were also able to commission new signs made by the field services team at ENPA, made from local sustainable wood.

“The flexibility of the scheme also allowed for some money to fell some dangerous trees infected with ash dieback.

“It has proved to be a well-run and simple scheme to be involved with and we are looking forward to what projects we can realise now we have had our second application approved.”

More information is available on the ENPA website here or by emailing [email protected].