The Upper Beult Farmer Cluster is facilitated by Kent Wildlife Trust, working in partnership with Southern Water. The aim of the project is to bring farmers together, in a farmer-led initiative, to collectively deliver greater benefits for soil, water and wildlife at a landscape scale.
The River Beult is a main tributary of the River Medway. Southern Water extract water from the Medway to supply drinking water. To meet stringent drinking water quality standards, pesticides and other pollutants need to be reduced and removed. Southern Water is working with Kent Wildlife Trust and the Upper Beult Farmer Cluster to encourage sustainable pesticide use to reduce the amount of pollutants entering the River Medway.
Kent Wildlife Trust facilitates the farmer cluster and supports projects to improve soil health and biodiversity. The Trust works closely with local communities, landowners and partners to protect and improve habitats in the countryside for the benefit of the wildlife and people of Kent.
If you are farming in the Upper Beult catchment and want to get involved, check out the Upper Beult Cluster website and Twitter page.
If you are a farmer and interested in joining this or another local farm cluster group, please email ellen.wilson@kentwildlife.org.uk
Ellen Wilson provides the facilitation of the Upper Beult Cluster, helping to coordinate meetings and events, and signpost to funding opportunities for farmers.
We joined the cluster because farming sustainably is really important to us and we wanted to find out more and share ideas. The cluster has been great for getting to know other farmers, especially as we are relatively new to farming in this area of Kent. We’ve also learnt a lot about species found on other nearby farms and we are now monitoring species on our farm much more closely. The support and guidance of Kent Wildlife Trust has been invaluable.Amy and Graham Husk - from Ramstile Farm, near High Halden.
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