At EPC-UK, we believe that by taking environmental responsibility for the protective barrier of countryside around us, we’re making a difference; one that’s designed to benefit our neighbouring wildlife and surrounding landscape – together with the livelihoods of those who work within it.
We’ve owned land at both Great Oakley Hall and Old Moze Hall in Bramble Island, together with our farm at Alfreton since 1905. These surrounding estates give the EPC-UK site the space and proximity needed to conduct our activities safely, effectively and appropriately, while also presenting us with opportunities to make a difference within the environment around us.
By farming crops including wheat, rape seed oil and peas, and raising livestock across over 2,000 acres of estate owned around the EPC-UK sites, we’ve put our ‘buffer-land’ to effective farming use; taking responsibility for environmental care and improvement, while helping to protect our wildlife species.
Wildlife conservation
We see wildlife guardianship as part of our role, which is why we continually devise projects to improve conditions for birds and insects, increasing their chances of survival and swelling population growth.
Successful examples of which include:
- Installing 6m buffer strips between fields and water courses to help create new habitats
- Managing field corners to encourage wildlife interest
- Sowing wild seed mixture as a food source for farmland birds
- Growing flowering plants to create food for nectar-feeding insects, such as butterflies and bumblebees
- Creating habitats for skylarks on reserved plots of unseeded ground where birds can nest during the breeding season.
Landscape protection
By caring for the land with a mind to the future, we’re taking responsibility at root level. Our continual environmental improvement scheme has led to over 500 sapling trees being planted by employees across our farmland, helping to shape the landscape, aid biodiversity, and improve wildlife habitat.
We’re also operating a cross-compliance scheme, designed to ensure that both our agricultural conditions and environmental care procedures are managed safely, correctly and responsibly.
“The work we undertake across our farmland is of pinnacle importance. Not only are we contributing to agricultural output, we’re also taking care to nurture our surrounding environment, and actively assist the wildlife that is so integral to it.
“The plans we put in place to improve our farms are part of a long-term strategy. We’re planting for the future and monitoring the results, to enable EPC-UK farmland to contribute to and help resolve issues within the country’s farming community.”
Great Oakley Hall Estate Manager
