Cornwall’s Ancient Trees

An exhibit of photographs and advise about Cornwall's ancient trees.

This blog will be running throughout 2020 and will be updated each month.

All our blog posts are written by advisers, trustees, farmers and members. These posts express the opinions of the writer and are not necessarily the views of FWAG SW. We welcome you to interact with us by commenting on these posts and sharing your thoughts and opinions, these topics are all open for discussion! See you in the comments...

Do Ivy and Other Structures Impact Ancient Trees?

Most farms I have visited recently have had at least one veteran tree somewhere, and it is clear that they are an under-recorded resource in Cornwall. I recently had the please of coming across this spectacular twin-stemmed ancient ash tree near Golant. Click here to read more... Read more

Ancient Hedge Relics

Often our oldest farmland trees have outlived others because of their careful management and practical use on the farm, allowing them to live for hundreds of years. Click here to read more... Read more

Ancient Ash Trees in North Cornwall

We are continuing our series of articles highlighting Cornwall’s ancient trees with a look at some impressive ash trees scattered around a farm on the North Coast. A farmer I visited this year suggested I take a look in a small field that he referred to as his celandine meadow (because of the carpet of yellow lesser celandine flowers that grow there in the spring). Not knowing what to expect, I was excited to see two stunning ancient ash trees growing there. Read more

Swannacott Oaks

Swannacott Manor Meats is a 200-acre pasture farm set in rolling hills just outside Week St Mary in North Cornwall. The Sobey family have been farming the area for over 6 generations and have been successfully selling meat straight from the farm for many years. Read more

A Veteran Oak and a Cuckoo Hawthorn near Looe

I will kickstart this series by describing an impressive oak I clocked recently while walking a block of permanent pasture with a prospective tenant. It looms over the landscape, stood on a north-facing slope with only an expired fence line breaking up its setting. Read more

Celebrating Cornwall’s Ancient Trees Every Month

FWAG SouthWest are teaming up with the Cornwall Ancient Tree Forum to champion the protection of ancient trees on Cornish farmland. Such trees not only support many specialist invertebrates, plants and fungi, but also provide cultural significance. Read more

Latest

[11.04.24] Wessex Water: River Tone, Parrett and Yeo Phosphorus Reduction Scheme

FWAG SW are working with Wessex Water and farmers in sub-catchments of the Rivers Tone, Parrett and Yeo to reduce phosphorus (P) runoff from farmyards, tracks and fields by three tonnes per year by 2025. Click here to read more...
Wessex Water: Tone, Parrett and Yeo Phosphorus Reduction Scheme

FWAG SW advisers are working with Wessex Water and farmers in sub-catchments of the Rivers Tone, Parrett and Yeo to reduce P runoff from farmyards, tracks and fields by three tonnes per year by 2025.
Award evening celebrates our Silver Pintail winner for 2023

In March we gathered at Harts Barn, Gloucestershire to announce the winner of the 2023 Silver Pintail Award for farming and conservation. Click here to read the full blog...
Farmland Bird Identification Event at Frampton Court Estate

A fantastic day of farmland bird identification with our knowledgeable & passionate guides, Gordon Kirk, regional representative from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and Richard Hollis, FWAGSW’s trainee Farm Environment Advisor in Cornwall. The discussions offered guidance on distinguishing common farmland birds through visual observations and contrasting calls.

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JOIN US! Become a friend or a member and you'll be helping to create a better farmed environment for everyone across the South West.
Mission and vision

FWAG SouthWest seeks to support, enthuse and inspire fellow farmers to value the environmental assets on their land and use them to secure sustainable and profitable businesses for the future.
Farm Plastic Recycling Scheme

The first FWAG Farm Plastic Recycling Scheme began in 2004 and has taken place annually ever since. The aim of the scheme is to provide farmers with a responsible, environmentally sound way to recycle plastic, preventing it from going to landfill. The scheme is simple and straight forward, with no membership fees so the farmers only pay for the plastic they bring.
Countryside Stewardship

FWAG SW has a wealth of experience in the range of grants on offer and their suitability for your farm business. We can prepare and submit an application on your behalf and help with your evidence and record keeping requirements.
Hills to Levels

Hills to Levels is a holistic catchment management approach, which began across catchments in Somerset, aiming to ‘slow the flow’ to reduce flood risk, reduce erosion, improve water quality, deliver wider environmental benefits and increase resilience on the floodplain.
Kingfisher Project

The Kingfisher Award Scheme (KAS) provides children with the opportunity to go onto farms to explore the natural world.
Jenny Phelps

Senior Farm Environment Adviser & Glos Team Leader
Chief Executive Officer
Somerset Catchment Partnership

Somerset Catchment Partnership is bringing together a range of organisations who work within the water environments of Somerset since 2013.
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Our advisers are located throughout the south west, and cover Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.