Environmental News

Detection dogs have been used in the UK for the first time to successfully identify tree disease, helping track down the deadly tree pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. 

Updated proposals for the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), which is the primary source of government support for the future of Welsh farming starting in 2026, have been warmly welcomed by the Welsh farming community. 

Last week, the South of England Agricultural Society hosted its annual farming conference. This year’s theme, ‘What is our land for?’ has sparked a lively debate on whether the focus of land use should shift from traditional food production to prioritising environmental and biodiversity goals or even to accommodate the demands of commercial development. 

The National Tree Week 2024 has launched today, marking the traditional start of the winter tree planting season. At this time of year, trees are dormant and so experience the least stress when being placed in their new homes.

The government has just confirmed that farmers impacted by severe wet weather will soon receive payments from the £60 million Farming Recovery Fund. 

More than 91,000 trees will be planted on a farmland following the National Trust’s plans to create a “green haven” in Merseyside. 

Presumably the biggest solar farm in the UK could soon be built near the village of Gissing in Norfolk. 

An Aberdeenshire-based ice cream producer, Mackie’s of Scotland, is celebrating its most successful year, hitting the renewable energy record. 

Plans to build a solar farm as big as 144 football pitches on top-quality farmland in Lincolnshire have been rejected. 

Plans to build a solar farm as big as 144 football pitches on top-quality farmland in Lincolnshire have met with mixed responses from local residents. 

Farmers have been warned to protect themselves and their farms as Storm Ashley is set to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the UK. 

The Countryside Alliance has responded to the government’s proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), highlighting its key concerns and advocating for a ‘rooftop-first’ approach to solar installations on farmland.