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FC Wales smooths passage to important woodland

With its fascinating historical features, enchanting scenery and strong links to the end of the last major ice age, i Parkwood on the Gower is a popular tourist location. Forestry Commission Wales has stepped in to ensure a smoother passage into this environmental jewel after the Welsh Government woodland became the victim of its own alluring beauty. The road allowing access to the site of special scientific interest (SSSI) was showing signs of serious wear and tear, with badly pot-holed areas testifying to Parkwood’s popularity.

 
Saffery Champness comment on CAP Reform announcement

Commenting on the announcement on CAP Reform by EU Farm Minister, Dacian Ciolos, Andrew Arnott, a partner of  Saffery Champness Landed Estates & Rural Business Group says: “There was not much in the announcement that had not already been leaked. However, it confirms the intention to distribute subsidies more evenly by way of a cap on payments to farmers at 300,000 euros (£261,240) per year.  A progressive levy, to be applied on all payments exceeding 150,000 euros (£130,620), was also announced as a proposal. Assuming that the proposals will be approved by both the EU parliament and all member states, this will be bad news for many large arable farmers and some medium scale farming businesses, including those in the uplands.It remains to be seen whether the ‘sustainable and inclusive growth’ for European agriculture can really be achieved through these proposals.  I think they could, as they stand, have the opposite effect, acting as a disincentive to invest for farm businesses that are highly-mechanised with lower staffing levels”.

 
Leaked proposals for the reform of CAP entitlements

News has recently been leaked from the European Commission that farmers who claim more than €150,000 from the direct support element of the CAP (Pillar1), will see their entitlement payments progressively capped.  Commenting on the leaked proposals Mike Harrison, a partner of Saffery Champness Landed Estates & Rural Business Group, says: “There is a strongly worded proposal for progressive cuts in the entitlement payments above €150,000 ( £127,000) with a cap of €300,000 (£255,000)”.   Whilst the new regulations will apparently incorporate an allowance which reflects the farm’s wages bill, which is welcome news and should mean that both larger and smaller farms are treated equally, there will be a discrimination for those using external contractors

 

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Home Sporting On course to boost wild brown trout
On course to boost wild brown trout PDF Print E-mail
Written by John Vaughan   
Tuesday, 09 June 2009 12:32

 Wild brown trout

Delegates attending the latest Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s brown trout and river habitat management course are probably the luckiest people around.  Not only do they get to study on a beautiful lowland chalk stream, they will also get to grips with the latest practical research developments which aim to improve trout productivity for both wild and stocked fish.

This two-day intensive course offers a unique training opportunity for anglers and fishery managers, particularly as there is a strong emphasis placed on the participation of delegates.

The course is led by Dylan Roberts, the Trust’s head of fisheries, who will be supported by many of the Trust’s well-respected scientists such as Dr Jonathan Reynolds, who will be discussing the controversial issue of swans and lowland river habitats.  Mike Swan, one of the Trust’s advisors will be demonstrating practical mink control, while other topics to be covered by the fisheries team include habitat improvements on lowland and upland rivers, the impacts of siltation on trout egg survival and the stocking of adult and juvenile trout.

Practical demonstrations on the River Ebble will help to identify good and bad trout habitat, and will include electro-fishing and fish tagging demonstrations.  Other important topics to be covered on the river range from predation issues and spawning areas to tree management and radio telemetry.

For more than twenty years the Trust has been involved in ground-breaking research into the management of trout populations and their habitats and this work has pioneered many of the habitat improvements that are now in common use on many of our thriving trout streams and rivers. 

The two-day course will be held at the Trust’s headquarters in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, on 24th  and 25th June and aims to help fishery managers make the most of their wild and stocked trout populations.  The course content will be based around the Trust’s latest research and will include many practical river-based demonstrations.

Each place on the course costs £235.75 and includes refreshments and lunch.  For further details and an application form, please telephone Lynda Ferguson, Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust on 01425 651013. or e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 
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