Vine House Farm

Farming for

Nicholas Watts

A Living Landscape

Vine House Farm, Lincolnshire A conservation award winning farm in the Fens Vine House Farm spans 800 hectares in the South Lincolnshire Fens and has been farmed by the Watts family for 130 years.

The present owner, Nicholas Watts, is passionate about wildlife and started recording breeding birds on the farm in 1982. This changed his whole approach to farming and led to the establishment of a successful mail order bird seed business, selling home-grown seed across the UK. Nicholas has received a number of prestigious conservation awards in recognition of his dedication to wildlife, including in 2006, the MBE for services to farming and conservation.

Nicholas Watts with a sunflower crop

Farmland birds – their fall and rise at Vine House Farm Having documented a worrying decline in farmland birds, Nicholas set about implementing a number of measures on his farm to reverse the trend.

Initially, there was no funding available for these activities but with the development of agrienvironment schemes they became economically viable.

In 1992, set-aside became compulsory and this stimulated Nicholas to actively manage these areas for wildlife. Although farmers

were not required to manage the set aside areas, Nicholas chose to do so, resulting in greater wildlife benefits across 10% of his farmed area. By allowing his set aside to mature and by planting part of it with wheat grown specifically for bird food, he attracted hundreds of birds and commenced work to reverse the decline of key farmland bird species.

Over the years, work to improve habitats on the farm has increased and evolved and this has resulted in

some notable success stories, set against a continued nationwide decline in farmland bird populations.

Adjustments to the flail mowing regime have seen an increase in whitethroats from just three breeding pairs to as many as 22 in some years whilst management of redundant ditches, especially ditches close to rape seed fields, provides ideal habitat for sedge warblers Tree sparrows and barn owls have also benefitted from management of the land at Vine House Farm.

Protecting Wildlife for the Future

The initiatives at Vine House have been driven primarily by Nicholas’ love for wildlife but have also allowed the farm to receive support through various agri-environment schemes. The most significant farm diversification has been the development of a successful mail order wild bird seed business. The farm started selling rape seed to local enthusiasts who had come to witness the hundreds of birds attracted to the farm after Nicholas started feeding them in winter. Since then, the business has grown into a major concern selling home grown bird seed all over the UK. From 2007 onwards, a partnership with The Wildlife Trusts has seen 5% of turnover from the business distributed to Wildlife Trusts, who are taking local action for wildlife. The bird seed production is thus producing benefits on and off the farm and providing a life line for declining species such as the tree sparrow.

Working with the landscape

Nicholas Watts

Farming in the fens has for centuries relied on a network of dykes to provide land suitable for growing crops. Mechanisation of farming has meant that fields have become bigger and many dykes have become redundant and been filled in. At Vine House Farm, dykes have been maintained and managed as essential wetland habitat. Working with the local drainage board Nicholas has encouraged sensitive management practices on active dykes which are sensitive to wildlife and reed warblers now commonly nest in vegetation along these managed watercourses.

One of the farm’s barn owl towers

Habitat creation

Nicholas Watts

Several large ponds have been established to provide habitat for birds and invertebrates. They are complemented by spinneys planted to provide woodland habitat on the farm. Twenty acres of wildflower meadows and 13 miles of cultivated weed margins provide insect habitat, and four miles of planted hedgerow provide food and shelter for many species, such as small mammals.

Specially built towers provide nesting places for barn owls which hunt across the farmland. Agri-environment schemes have provided support for these initiatives and helped to sustain the economic viability of the farm business.

Wildfowl benefit from wetland areas

Engaging the public

Nicholas Watts

Apart from offering high quality advice on feeding garden birds the farm opens its gates to the public several times a year for farm tours. The farm also has its own nature reserve, complete with hide, which is open to the general public.

For more information on the farm’s conservation measures, please visit vinehousefarm.co.uk/conservation.

Cultivated weed margin

A Living Landscape is a recovery plan for nature championed by The Wildlife Trusts to help create a resilient and healthy environment rich in wildlife and provide ecological security for people. To find out what advice and support is available from a Wildlife Trust near you, visit wildlifetrusts.org/farming For more information on this project, please contact Charlotte Owen (cowen@wildlifetrusts.org)

The Wildlife Trusts The Kiln, Waterside Mather Road Newark Nottinghamshire NG24 1WT Tel: 01636 677711

Tree sparrows, Nicholas Watts

Diversification