A resilient landscape restored for future generations.

Our Vision

Our vision is for a connected landscape where nature thrives
and we are surrounded by nature on our farms.

There will be swarms of mayflies and insects on the river, clouds of butterflies and vibrant rare plants in our field margins, breeding lapwing harboured in our fields, barn owls sweeping across the landscape at dusk, flocks of swallows and house martins, a rowdy down chorus in our woods and hedgerows and a ceaseless summer buzz of nature. 

A resilient landscape restored for future generations

Our Aims

  • To seek out and spread good practice by:

    • by visiting each other’s farms

    • inviting experts to visit and share their knowledge with us

    • visiting other places that showcase success

  • To:

    • restore the river Test, its tributaries of the Anton and Dever and its wetlands

    • restore and re-connect fragments of chalk grassland on the Downs

    • actively manage ancient and broadleaved woodlands

    • expand our hedgerows and field margins for wildlife

  • To improve soil health by:

    • Keeping soils covered and minimising disturbance

    • Increasing crop diversity

    • Including more animals in crop management

  • To improve our ground and surface waters through

    • Reduced reliance on chemical inputs

    • Managing and reducing on-farm pollutants

  • To engage with local communities and volunteers through:

    • On farm surveys and events

    • Contributions to local newsletters and initiatives

    • Signage and social media

To produce more sustainable healthy food and help reduce the impacts of climate change through:

How we work

We are neighbouring farmers and landowners, who came together in 2019 to share our knowledge and experience about how to farm commercially while improving the environment. We have signed a simple membership agreement that commits us to working across our farm boundaries.

We started with funding from the government but this ceased at the end of 2022. We now rely on member subscriptions and other sources of funding.

So far…

We meet regularly to discuss different topics, learn where to get expert advice, how to set up projects and resolve the challenges they present and to experience what success can look like:  Such as how to:

·      create healthier soils

·      restore the river and chalk grassland communities

·      establish communities of rare arable plants

·      support barn owls

·      enhance woodland biodiversity

·      respond to ash dieback. 

We have employed a facilitator to help us and are mapping a simple baseline against which future progress can be measured. We are also working with volunteers to survey birds and moths across the area and are undertaking a further annual survey of butterflies in 2023. So far, 10 different project areas have been identified.

Our Projects

Our group is working with the Wessex Rivers Trust, The Piscatorial Society and The Test & Itchen Association on several projects aimed to improve the ecological status of our rivers

River restoration

Uptake of Countryside Stewardship is strong across the group which in turn is leading to a significant increase in the proportion of hedgerows and field margins managed for nature.

Biodiversity in the farmed landscape

Following the example of others there is growing interest in linking fragments of chalk grassland between neighbouring farms, particularly on the steep scarp slopes of the downs. 

Chalk Grassland Restoration

Latest News & Events

How to engage with the cluster.

If you are local and would like to know more about what we do or support our work, please contact Matthew Norris-Hill email:

matthew.norris-hill@fwagsoutheast.co.uk