The Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster is a group of farmers, foresters and other land managers working together to benefit soil, water, wildlife and historic features not just on their individual farms, but across the wider landscape. Please note the Farm Cluster project has now closed but we have kept this page live as a record of its many and varied achievements.

The Group currently has more than 60 members and includes a range of landowners, from larger commercial mixed farmers to small meadow owners. The Group's aims are:

• Productive and profitable farming, hand-in-hand with maintaining and restoring the environment
• Controlling deer populations to reduce their impact on woodlands and crops
• Improving soil health and the value of grasslands for forage and wildlife, and
• Educating and managing visitors to achieve more responsible behaviour.

View a map of the Farm Cluster area here:  pdf Upper Rother & Dudwell Farm Cluster: Area & Members Map - Feb 2020 (2.96 MB)

Benefits 

Group membership provides access to a FREE programme of events which provide an opportunity to:

• Share knowledge of land management in the area
• Meet experts on topical subjects
• Explore options for increasing farm profitability
• Find out more about the area’s ‘public goods’
• Build confidence in testing new management approaches
• Get help with securing grants, in particular Countryside Stewardship (CS) and Sussex Lund
• Get specialist advice on projects, including delivering CS options
• Submit collective views on relevant Government consultations.

We have run more than 30 training events for Farm Cluster members since the group was set up. Workshops have included Farm Profitability, Farmland Bird Identification, Deer Management, Regenerative Agriculture, Green Haying and Healthy Soils as well as equipment demonstrations and AGMs. We run 9-12 events per year and are always happy to take suggestions and ideas from members.

New members also benefit from a FREE site visit that:

• Explores the development of a land holding over time using historic maps 
• Highlights a holding's special landscape, archaeology & wildlife features 
• Discusses the part the holding can play in achieving the Group's aims.

Membership also secures endorsement of Countryside Stewardship applications, giving a 20% uplift to the application score.

Resources
pdf Upper Rother & Dudwell Farm Cluster: Area & Members Map - Feb 2020 (2.96 MB)
pdf Giant Hogweed Report, Management Guidance - March 19 (2.68 MB)
pdf Agroforestry Productivity Presentation, Stephen Briggs - Feb 19 (9.74 MB)
pdf Farm Cluster Annual Meeting Presentation, Colin Hedley - Jan 19 (1.14 MB)
pdf Healthy Living Soils Presentation, Paul Cobb - Nov 16 (8.17 MB)
pdf Upper Rother Non-native Invasive Species Survey - Sep 16 (2.49 MB)
Soil Life Presentation Video, Matthew Shepard NE - Dec 16

Newsletters
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews Dec 2020 (2.90 MB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews Sept 2020 (859 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews June 2020 (739 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews Spring 2020 (463 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews Jan 2020 (540 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews Dec 2019 (175 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews Oct 2019 (247 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews late Summer 2019 (400 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews Jul/Aug 2019 (475 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews June 2019 (667 KB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster eNews May 2019 (629 KB)
To read previous newsletters please visit our archive

Annual Reviews
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster Annual Review 2018-2019 (2.00 MB)
pdf Upper Rother and Dudwell Farm Cluster - Annual Review 2016-2018 (850 KB)

More 
The Upper Rother & Dudwell Farm Cluster is financially supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development under Natural England’s Countryside Stewardship Scheme’s Facilitation Fund.