The River Stour Phosphate Reduction Scheme is being funded by Wessex Water and facilitated by FWAG SW. The Dorset team engaged with farmers who identified runoff from tracks, fields and farmyards.

This round of funding has finished, however, enquires are still open. Below are several measures that can be funded under the Scheme.

• Watercourse fencing to exclude livestock: 625m / £5,000 per farm business per year
• Cover crops after combinable crops / maize and undersowing grass into maize: 100ha / £10,000 of total cover crops per farm business per year
• Arable reversion to zero input grass, low/medium input grass and to 3-year legume fallow: 10ha / £5,000 per farm business per year
• Arable reversion to low / medium input grass: 10ha / £4,000 per farm per year
• Riparian buffer strips: 5ha / £2,500 per farm business per year

 

There are also habitat creation options for those wanting to have more of an impact.

• Hedgerow creation
• Tree-planting
• Watercourse fencing to exclude livestock
• Runoff ponds, constructed farm wetlands to treat field runoff and phosphorus removal structures for field drains and ditches

 

For more information please see the Wessex Water website, or contact Nicola Hopkins ( [email protected])