Otley College in Ipswich has joined forces with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust to offer a ground-breaking three-day Conservation Management course which will help equip farmers and their advisers with the wide range of environmental expertise needed to ensure the success of the recently launched Campaign for the Farmed Environment. 

This short training programme, developed by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust together with BASIS (Registration) Ltd , leads to a professional BASIS qualification in Conservation Management, and is being held at Otley College, Ipswich on the 12th, 13th and 14th July 2010.

The Campaign for the Farmed Environment is an industry-backed voluntary measure that aims to encourage farmers to retain the environmental benefits formerly provided by set-aside in three key areas – resource protection, farmland birds and wildlife.  A key part of the campaign is to ensure that advisers and agronomists understand the environmental challenges presented to farming by this new initiative.

Dr Alastair Leake from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has been the driving force behind this qualification and said, “The magnitude of change facing British farmers is huge, particularly the move away from production subsidy payments to rewarding farms for conserving and enhancing our wildlife and landscapes. It is therefore important to get any environmental schemes right first time to ensure that farm productivity as well as wildlife benefit. This unique qualification will equip farmers and their advisors such as land agents with the expertise needed to pull together all the various elements ensures of Environmental Stewardship Schemes, so that any conservation measures carried out on a farm are targeted and effective and will help wildlife to thrive.”

Tuition to achieve the Conservation Management certificate is over two and half days with a two-hour examination by BASIS in the afternoon of the third day.  The certificate covers four separate modules including: Soil and Air Protection, Protection of surface and ground water, biodiversity, and care of the environment.  The course places strong emphasis on knowledge of the statutory requirements, the codes of good agricultural practice, voluntary schemes and how to effectively implement and manage them.

Neil Ridley, from Otley College said, “We feel that this course is of huge value to farmers, professional agronomists and land agents wishing to improve and update their conservation skills and are very pleased to include it in our programme.”

For further details or to book a place on the Conservation Management Course at Otley College on 12th, 13th and 14th July,  please contact Neil Ridley, on 01473 784165 or email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  The course is supported with grant funding from Landskills East and costs £270 including exam fees per delegate.