Conserving and protecting our natural resources
Here at Rampisham Hill Farm we believe that commercial agriculture can work directly alongside conservation to create a working environment rich in biodiversity. We have several different habitats on the farm that together help to make up a species-rich environment.
Hedges
Our hedges are cut on a two-year rotation, which enables the hedge plants to set fruit and means that there is much more food available to wildlife. We also lay some of our hedges each year to rejuvenate the hedge and allow the ground flora to flourish.
Chalk grassland
We have several areas of chalk grassland rich in wild flowers, which need to be carefully managed to enable the plants to persist in the sward. No nitrogen is put on these areas, and all stock are removed between 1st April and the middle of July, so the flowers can set seed without being grazed out by animals. Species include: Cowslips, Primroses, Ladies Bedstraw, Devil’s Bit Scabious, Field Scabious and Betony.
Woodland
We have several acres of ancient semi-natural woodland on the farm. This consists of oak and ash standards, old ash coppice and an understorey of hazel coppice. We hope that in the next few years we will be able to start coppicing this again. The woodland edges are allowed to grow out into the field, to create a matrix of scrub interspersed with grass areas.
