By Amelia Woolford, Project Development Officer at The Allerton Project
At the Allerton Project we host a wide range of advisory workshops and educational activities. Often these centre around profitable farming and environmental management. In recognition of the changes taking place within British agriculture, GWCT together with BASIS (Registration) Ltd have developed a unique Conservation Management course.
The course is based around productive farming and will enable candidates to achieve a recognised professional qualification in farmland conservation. It’s a great opportunity to show off the Allerton Project farm and fills the project objectives set out for us in 1992 by Lord and Lady Allerton;
- To combine productive farming with wildlife conservation.
- To research the interaction between farming, wildlife conservation, resource management and the environment.
- To disseminate the results for the benefit of farmers, policy makers and others.
The 3-day course is designed for professional advisers working with farmers on a full range of issues such as cross-compliance, environmental management, conservation or Countryside Stewardship agreements. It’s a course that is relevant across the board, from agronomists, land agents and conservation advisers, preparing them to advise and implement effective farmland conservation management.
The syllabus covers four modules which include soil and organic matter management, water management, farmland wildlife and conservation and finally the wider farmed environment and farming standards. The team really enjoy delivering the material and we have a 98% pass rate. The feedback is very rewarding in itself:
“When a new member joins our technical advisory team it is pre-requisite that they undertake the BASIS Conservation Management course. For me this qualification is the benchmark standard for all those advising landowners on practical conservation and soil and water matters. The quality of tuition is excellent and supported by great resources at the Allerton Project” -- Richard Barnes, Sales Manager for Kings Crops.
“The best place to learn this subject, the knowledge & practical application at Allerton with GWCT staff is second to none.”
“A very good course for boosting knowledge of conservation benefits which can also help economic returns to farm.”
With the ever increasing focus on good environmental management in the farming industry the course has never been more relevant.
We will be holding a technical farmed environment walk, hosted at Hinchliffe Farms on the 22nd September 2016, as a taster session in partnership with Bishop Burton and BASF. This will be followed by the full BASIS course at Bishop Burton on the 22nd-24th November.
There is a course available at The Allerton Project on the 1st-3rd November 2016 and dates for 2017 are as follows: