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Lapwings, curlew,
redshank and other endangered birds, are being encouraged to return
to the heart of England.
Habitats in
which they can flourish are being created with money from a Government-backed
scheme.
The new wet
pastures will be used for grazing the farm's Highland cattle as
well as providing a valuable habitat for increasingly rare wildlife.
The money has
enabled Howard Dawes convert 27 hectares into wetland, next to the
River Avon in Worcestershire.
With a grant
from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
of about £340 per hectare paid over 10 years, grass has been
planted, new ditches have been dug, old ones restored and sluices
installed on land which was previously used for arable crops.
These measures
enable the farmer to regulate the amount of water on to the land.
It means that
an increase in the volume of standing water in winter will attract
over-wintering wild fowl.
In addition,
a special project has created one hectare of scrub to provide cover
for birds and insects.
The success
of the project, has depended on close working relationships between
DEFRA, Mr Dawes and the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust who drew up
the initial management plan.
Lapwing numbers
have declined by more than 50% in just 10 years, according to the
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
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