River-Friendly Farming at Fordhall Farm

The environment

Our River Friendly Farming Project at Fordhall has been an incredible journey and we are thankful to each and every person, including Shropshire Council, who supported it. This will slow the flow, store more water onsite, improve our water habitats for wildlife and provide a free place for community enjoyment and learning. We look forward to seeing the plants establish and bloom in the spring, and even more so, we look forward to welcoming hundreds of school children to our new pond dipping platform. We will continue to monitor the progress of all of these projects, including regular ecological surveys, water sampling and water vole spotting!

The local economy

All materials where possible, were sourced locally, such as timbers and machinery for the pond works. Local people were employed as contractors and the increased footfall to site will, we hope, increase trade to the cafe and farm shop at Fordhall Farm.

Volunteering, jobs & education

Vulnerable young people helped to build the bird hide. References were given and AQA certificates were awarded to support them in their future roots to work. Skills were taught in woodwork and joinery as well as conservation. Volunteers (long term unemployed, rurally isolated, or struggling with mental health) supported our tree planting and the building of the pond dipping platform. They also constructed the dead hedge. Throughout which they were learning new practical construction skills as well as building on their conservation knowledge. Educational experiences will continue to be offered with both new structures at Castle Hill Pond as we offer pond dipping experiences throughout the year, and free access to the bird hide to our community. We have additional funding to support an interpretation panel inside to help visitors identify birds and learn a little bit about them.

Activity, health and leisure

Now complete, our bird hide will encourage visitors to Fordhall to venture into the fields and to take that ten minute walk to visit our pond. This is now a destination along our trails and something that can be celebrated and enjoyed, for free, by everyone in our community. We hope they will access it for leisure, enjoyment, wellbeing and in doing so, benefit from the fresh air and the leisurely walk.