Farming in Protected Landscapes Case Study:
Infrastructure for sheep at Lawford Hall Farm
This project granted £7,184 towards a total cost of £14,368 to set up Lawford Hall Farm to keep and transport sheep in 2024.
The funding went towards purchase of livestock trailer and water bowsers and enabled improved livestock grazing at Lawford Hall Farm on 137 hectares of grassland.
Why is this important in the Dedham Vale?
The grasslands, particularly the wetland habitat on the valley floor, is a valuable part of the characteristic Dedham Vale National Landscape. By correctly grazing these habitats we are reinforcing and enhancing the character of the landscape – without correct grazing the land will become dominated by reeds, rushes and scrub with reduced floristic diversity, thereby changing its character.
The fields are part of a Historic Parkland and they include wet grassland which is important for breeding waders, and over wintering wader birds.
How do sheep help maintain a landscape?
Improvements in grazing management – enabled by easy movement of sheep - have enabled better vegetation management by controlling the height of grasses and
rushes and tough vegetation on the water meadows. This has encouraged a more varied vegetation to establish, with varying sward heights providing variety in habitat to increase the biodiversity of flora and fauna of the site.
The equipment which this grant contributed to enabled the sheep to easily be moved around the farm which is in 2 locations within the Dedham Vale – at Lawford and Stratford St Mary, and allow grazing of grass leys and legume fallows as part of regenerative practices, enhancing the soil, protecting the water and increasing the biodiversity.
How do sheep benefit the farm?
The introduction of sheep grazing into the crop rotation allows break and cover crops such as herbal leys and legume fallows to be grown and grazed thereby reducing pests and diseases. The sheep distribute organic matter and natural nutrients back into the soil which increases soil organic matter, improves soil health, increases water retention, reduces soil loss and increases biodiversity.
The use of livestock to graze these break crops also reduces herbicides by reducing the need to spray the break crop off before planting the main crop. The FiPL project has enabled livestock to be kept at Lawford Hall Farm to graze on the grass and be integral to regenerative agriculture.
The project contributed 50% of the cost of a livestock trailer so that sheep can be transported around the farm.