'Fairytale' proposals for future of the uplands.Byline: Karen Dent AWIDE-ranging plan for the future of the uplands has been published, but Natural England's Vision document is already attracting criticism from farming groups. The Vital Uplands - a 2060 Vision for England's Uplands document aims to stimulate discussion of how the areas can be managed for the next half-century to provide food, tackle climate change and bring benefits for the public. Top of the agenda is sustainable food, wood and raw material production, reducing climate-change issues and creating vibrant communities and economies. Natural England Natural England is a Non-Departmental Public Body of the UK government. It was formed (vested) on 1 October 2006. It is responsible for ensuring that England's natural environment, including its land, flora and fauna, freshwater and marine environments, geology and soils, are is now focusing on how grazing, grouse grouse, common name for a game bird of the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 18 species. Grouse are henlike terrestrial birds, protectively plumaged in shades of red, brown, and gray. moors, peat bogs and other distinctive upland areas are managed. One of the more controversial points is the plan to "adjust" the level of grazing to encourage more woodland. It wants to see 25% more woodland cover by 2060. Natural England's acting chair, Poul Christensen, said: "Our Vision is the starting point for a dialogue we want to have with upland stakeholders up and down the country about how we can all work together to shape the future of the uplands. "Working with partners and stakeholders we want to explore ways in which hill farmers and other upland land managers can deliver a wider range of environmental services that will put them and upland communities onto a more sustainable and economically successful footing." But there is concern among farming groups about what this vision could mean for hill farmers and their ability to produce food. The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA TFA Teach For America TFA Thyroid Foundation of America TFA Trifluoroacetic Acid TFA Trans Fatty Acid TFA Two Factor Authentication (computer security authentication) TFA Texas Forensic Association TFA Total Fatty Acids ) described the document as a "fairytale" - which had taken its inspiration more from Lewis Carroll than people living and working in the uplands. TFA uplands spokesman Mike Keeble said: "It is long on aspiration and short on the practicalities involved in being an active land manager in some of the harshest yet paradoxically most beautiful environments in our country. "I accept that the document is visionary, but it takes little account of some of the major issues being faced in the uplands and how we get from where we are now to where Natural England thinks it wants us to be. "Current Natural England policies are doing more to hinder than help this process. "The cornerstone of our upland communities is ruminant ruminant, any of a group of hooved mammals that chew their cud, i.e., that regurgitate and chew again food that has already been swallowed. Ruminants have an even number of toes on each foot and a stomach with either three or four chambers. livestock production and this is being undermined and eroded by ill thought-out schemes which on the one hand do not understand the complexities involved in upland management, including the centuries old principle of common grazing rights, and yet on the other use simplistic sim·plism n. The tendency to oversimplify an issue or a problem by ignoring complexities or complications. [French simplisme, from simple, simple, from Old French; see simple policy tools that promote de-stocking and, as a consequence, the significant encroachment of bracken." NFU NFU National Farmers Union (Denver, CO and Washington, DC) NFU National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales NFU No First Use NFU Norwegian Farmers' Union NFU North Florida University uplands spokesman Will Cockbain said: "Extensive livestock grazing has shaped and conserved the English uplands for generations. The effort of hill farmers has ensured a productive and accessible countryside, rich in cultural and environmental heritage - an outcome we should all celebrate. "The primary purpose of the uplands will remain food production; as a source of high quality meat and breeding stock for lowland livestock producers." Natural England has chosen Cumbria, Yorkshire and the South West uplands as areas for pilot projects to look at new ways of local land management. Missed a mart? Go online at www.nebusiness.co.uk/farming CAPTION(S): TRADITIONAL Livestock farmers are concerned at plans for the future of our uplands. |
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