RSPB Cymru is delighted to have recently started work on an exciting new project in north Wales that brings farmers, conservation organisations and advisers together to help deliver a more sustainable future for farming and nature.
5 min read
The Caletwr Catchment Integrated Natural Resources Scheme (INRS) is a Welsh Government-funded partnership project working with eight farms that are part of the Caletwr Farmer Cluster (CFC). Over the coming years, the project will test how coordinated, high-quality advice can help farmers build productive and resilient businesses while also improving habitats, protecting natural resources and supporting wildlife recovery.
At its heart, the project is about demonstrating that farming and nature can work hand in hand. Farmers play a vital role in tackling biodiversity loss, improving water quality, storing carbon and helping wildlife recover. Through the INRS, we want to explore the best ways of supporting these outcomes alongside successful food production.
One of the challenges farmers often face is navigating advice and funding opportunities from multiple organisations. The INRS aims to address this by bringing together a range of partners to provide coordinated support through a single collaborative framework.
Working alongside farmers, RSPB Cymru and partner organisations, including agricultural, environmental and local veterinary advisers, will look at opportunities across whole farms and across the wider catchment. This means considering food production, animal welfare, water management, climate resilience and nature recovery together, rather than as separate issues.
The project will help participating farms identify practical opportunities that work for their businesses while also delivering wider environmental benefits. By taking this approach, we hope to demonstrate how partnership working can support the future delivery of sustainable land management in Wales.
A key focus of the project will be helping farmers prepare for and make the most of opportunities available through the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
The project will support farmers to develop and implement integrated farm plans that reflect both business needs and local environmental priorities. This includes identifying actions that can benefit wildlife, soils, water quality and carbon storage while fitting within individual farm systems.
Importantly, we recognise that every farm is different, so support will be tailored to local conditions and individual circumstances.
RSPB Cymru will lead on providing specialist conservation advice, with a particular focus on Curlew recovery and peatland restoration.
The Caletwr Farmer Cluster sits within one of Wales' Important Curlew Areas, making it a vital landscape for one of the country's most threatened breeding birds. Curlew numbers have declined significantly in recent decades, and coordinated action across multiple farms is essential if populations are to recover.
Working closely with farmers, we will explore opportunities to improve nesting and feeding habitat, reduce pressures on breeding birds and create the conditions needed for Curlew populations to thrive.
The project will also support the protection and restoration of peatland habitats where opportunities exist. Healthy peatlands are important for wildlife, water management and carbon storage, making them a valuable part of resilient farmed landscapes.
As the project gets underway, our dedicated team will work directly with farmers and partner organisations to help turn plans into practical action on the ground.
This could include habitat management, water quality improvements, peatland restoration and other nature-positive land management measures supported through the INRS and the Sustainable Farming Scheme. The project will also help farmers identify opportunities through programmes such as Ffermio Bro and Farming Connect.
A key aim of the project is to learn what works best when farmers, advisers and delivery organisations work together towards shared objectives. The participating farms will act as demonstration sites, helping share practical experience and lessons with other farmers, partners and policymakers.
Although the project has only just begun, we hope it will help build the foundations for longer-term collaboration across the wider landscape, supporting thriving farm businesses, healthier natural resources and a brighter future for nature across the Caletwr catchment and beyond.
