West Berkshire farmer warns of wildlife suffering

Wildlife habitats at risk as EU considers axing payments to land managers

RARE birds could be under increased threat from plans to slash funding for wildlife-friendly farming, a local farmer has warned.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) revealed that the European Union is considering axeing payments to land managers for wildlife-friendly farming, managing woodlands and protecting special areas.

West Berkshire farmer Henry Moore said: “We are slowly achieving a lot thanks to the agri-environment schemes. We've had barn owls return, we've got lapwing chicks running about, and in the winter we've seen the morning rush-hour traffic stop to watch the spectacle of about 3,000 golden plover take off.

“It's really working, but this kind of change doesn't just happen overnight, and looking after habitats on a farm is not a cheap thing to do. We've spent several years laying the ground for farmland wildlife to recover, but if we lost the funding we couldn't afford to do it - we'd have to plough the whole thing up.”

He added: “It's not just the wildlife on our farm that would suffer. With the surrounding estates and farms also in schemes, the wildlife habitats are all joined up across a larger area. If you mess up a farm right in the middle of that patchwork, you lose a wildlife corridor that links the farms on either side.”

RSPB spokeswoman Christine MacFarquhar said the society had garnered support from other West Berkshire farmers but added: “They are nervous about speaking publicly about it.”

Wildlife Trust spokesman Paul Wilkinson said: , said: “Funding through Pillar 2 of the Common Agricultural Policy is critical to supporting this action for wildlife now and in future to secure nature's recovery. We must all fight for this support to be retained.”