Partnership with Nature
We shepherd in a traditional way called hefting to enhance and protect the farm’s land habitat. This approach benefits nature, biodiversity, conservation, and the heritage of the native sheep that survive and thrive in these rugged uplands.
Why is this important for nature?
The farm is remote and lies within the vast expanse of the Elenydd Plateaux in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains of Wales. The farm is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) within the Elenydd designated Special Protection Area, Special Area of Conservation – recognised as some of the most important hill land for nature conservation in Europe.
High in the upper Elan Valley, its land is a mosaic of unimproved [untouched] upland habitats; blanket bog, acid grasslands, streams and lakes that are important for breeding birds and variety of uncommon [rare] plants.
Scientific surveys on the farm have recorded hundreds of species of plants, algae, birds, bryophytes, invertebrates, lichens, mammals, reptiles & amphibians (Aderyn UK taxon designation).
For example:
- Upland plateaus – the highest parts of the farm are made up of plateaus with large areas of blanket bog harbouring specialist acid loving plants such as sphagnum mosses, bog bean and an amazing summer display of bright yellow bog asphodel. These are home to a suit of rare upland birds recorded on the farm including Golden Plover, Short Eared Owl, Dunlin and Merlin. The clean water of Llyn Cerrigllwyidion Isaf (a lake high on the farm) is home to Floating Water Plantain, which exists only the best quality waterbodies and is recognised as a species of principal importance in Wales and the UK “one of the most important plants in Britain, for both nature conservation and genetic conservation reasons” (BSBI)
- Streams and valleys – as the bogs and lakes of the high plateaus drain across the farm towards the River Elan, they form a network of streams surrounded by valley sides. These streams are home to Dippers and Grey Wagtails. The surrounding valleys are alive with the song of Wheatear, Stonechat and Whinchat. The stream edges are also home to interesting plants, Ivy leaved Bell Flower (a plant threatened by very heavy sheep grazing) is found on our farm in the wet flushes caused by the natural flow of the streams.
- In-bye fields around the homestead – the farm is a large open range with less than five percent of the farm fenced as ‘in-bye’ fields around the homestead. Therefore fences are a rare sight at this farm. These small ‘in-bye’ fields help us to manage our flocks at important times such as lambing and shearing. Where they have been sensitively improved for agriculture they remain home to wildlife including nesting curlew, water vole, foxes, and weasels. Within the enclosed fields we have also planted hundreds of trees that support a variety of species and provide shelter.
