The Forest of Selwood Facilitation Group
Since 2019 the Forest of Selwood Facilitation Group has brought farmers, landowners and managers together to protect and increase natural capital across the Selwood area, within the headwaters of the Brue, Somerset Frome & Dorset Stour Catchments. The Forest of Selwood Charity is now responsible for managing and expanding the network which currently consists of 40 landholdings covering over 5000 hectares.
Members work collaboratively through group workshops, on-farm events, webinars and field trips, to share experience, learn about and implement environmental improvements.
The group is facilitated by the Forest of Selwood Charity and will keep you informed of the latest environmental schemes and funding.
Our new facilitator for the group is Tim Langmead, email: tim@forestofselwood.org
If you manage land within the approximate area shown below, please come and join us!
To join contact our Forest of Selwood Facilitation Group Chairman, Charles Fattorini via email: charles@forestofselwood.org
Group Priorities
- Priority Habitats: maintaining and restoring lowland meadow, ancient & native woodland, traditional orchards, wood pasture, parkland, veteran trees and riparian habitats.
- Landscape: Hedgerows, hedgerow trees, in field trees, permanent grassland and wetlands.
- Priority Species: Lapwings, woodland birds, butterflies, dormice, bats, saproxylic invertebrates, saprotrophic and mycorrhizal fungi.
- Historic Environment: Forest of Selwood mosaic landscape of priority habitats including meadows, hedges, wood pasture and woodland.
- Water Quality: The Brue, Stour & Somerset Frome all fail the water framework directive WFD due to phosphate and sediment, need for improved soil management and farm infrastructure, tackling run off and erosion.
- Reduce Flood Risk: through natural flood management approaches.
Our objectives include:
- Recruiting more farms/landholdings to consolidate the existing FSFG membership areas.
- Understand the opportunities that Environmental Land Management (ELMS), will present for FSFG members, recognising the impacts of the Agricultural(2021 Acts). Understand the alternative income streams presented by carbon markets and biodiversity net gain and other opportunities and constraints because of those Acts.
- Encourage farmers and landowners into Countryside Stewardship and ELMs Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Scale Recovery projects.
- Collaborate with governmental organisations and local groups to maximise the impact on delivering FSFG priorities.
- Provide 12 farm visits plus webinars a year to inform, train and socialise key strategies and outcomes in support of FSFG priorities.
- Support FSFG members in managing species reintroduction and expansion plus the effects of climate change on species mitigation.
Through 2023 we will be arranging monthly farm events for members, showcasing a range of local conservation initiatives.
Topics for some recent and future events: –
- Rewilding and Regenerative Farming
- Farmland Birds (farm walk)
- Creating and managing ponds for wildlife (farm walk)
- Water Environment work in the Selwood Forest Catchments
- Grassland Regeneration, Sward Improvement & Wildflowers (farm walk)
- Wood Pasture & Managing Veteran Trees (farm walk)
- Tree Diseases (farm-based meeting & walk)
- Soil Management (farm visit)
To join the Forest of Selwood Facilitation Group, or for further information contact: –
Chairman Charles Fatorini, email: charles@forestofselwood.org
