Land of the Fanns offers farmers funds to help wildlife.

The Land of the Fanns and the RSPB are joining up with local farmers to help protect and improve habitats for wildlife.

The Land of the Fanns Farmed Landscape project aims to build connections between local farmers and non-Governmentalorganisations (NGOs). 

It is assisting farmers with surveys and advice, that will help prepare farmers for future funding opportunities such as ELMS (the Environmental Land Management Scheme) and with the range of funding opportunities currently available to help with projects that deliver benefits for wildlife and the landscape.

There are funds available from Land of the Fanns for farmers todeliver small-scale projects such as creating and restoring ponds, planting new hedgerows, offering wild bird seed mixes and placingwildlife nest boxes. Farmers within the Land of the Fanns project area are eligible for a grant of up to £1,500 for these projects. The Land of the Fanns covers an area of 185 square kilometres, with much of the landscape still in agricultural use. It aligns with the footprint of Thames Chase Community Forest which covers 104 square kilometres across east London and south west Essex and is helping to deliver the aims and objectives of the Thames Chase Plan. 

The Land of the Fanns has partnered with the RSPB to run this year-long project which also offers farmers the opportunity to benefit fromsurveys to assess the wildlife on their land.

Local farmers in the Land of the Fanns project area can get free farm visits and surveys and advice by contacting Landofthefanns@thameschase.org. To find out more about the project, visit the Land of the Fanns website at: https://www.landofthefanns.org/projects/a1-1-landscape-management-plan/. 

Partners in the Scheme are: Essex County Council, Forestry England, Thames Estuary Partnership, Brentwood Borough Council, London Borough of Havering, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, Thames21, Thurrock Council and MOLA. Thames Chase Trust is the lead partner and legacy body for the Scheme as it comes to a conclusion in 2022. These partners have a shared goal of enablinglocal people to discover, restore and enjoy what’s special about the local landscape.

To find out more about the Land of the Fanns and the environmental and heritage projects it runs, please go to www.landofthefanns.org.Information about the Thames Chase Community Forest can be found at www.thameschase.org.uk

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