Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Use | Sustainable Telford and Wrekin

Agriculture plays an important role in our future food security. However, climate change is causing changes to this sector, for example – the growing seasons, the types and amounts of crops we produce, soil conditions and pests and diseases. This sector would need to adapt by introducing new practices and technologies which in turn will help regulate crop growth, reduce pests/diseases and improve soil health and carbon storage.

Forestry and other land uses also play an important role by conserving existing carbon storage in soils/vegetation and by increasing the size and amount of carbon storage to extract carbon from the atmosphere.

Actions we have identified in this area include:

Ref	Action	Timeframe For Delivery	Organisation to lead on Delivery
33	Promote low carbon farming practices and setting aside land for habitat creation	0-5 years	Severn Gorge Countryside Trust
34	Undertake research on peatland soils across the Borough to assess the potential for restoration and carbon storage	0-2 years	Shropshire Wildlife Trust
35	Promote growing beans/peas as low emission crops which improve soil health. Provide farmers with information on growing beans/peas and inform them of the support available.	0-5 years	Partnership project with local universities to map soil suitability; local farmers; and National Farmers’ Union
36	Engage with cattle farmers to promote year round grass feed to cattle. Emissions associated with cattle are mostly due to feed that is heavily fertilised and shipped.	0-2 years	National Farmers’ Union
37	Increase carbon storage of existing woodlands through management practices including restocking trees and encouraging a diverse age structure of trees. Also to create opportunities for the community to be involved in these management practices.	2-5 years	Small Woods; Severn Gorge Countryside Trust and Telford & Wrekin Council
38	Develop small diameter timber processing and marketing to aid in replacing fossil fuel heating and as construction materials	2–5 years	Small Woods and Severn Gorge Countryside Trust
39	Identify suitable land for tree-planting and re-establishing hedgerows/extending existing hedgerows	2–5 years	Small Woods and Severn Gorge Countryside Trust
40	Explore options to develop a community tree nursery including working with a network of schools to collect seeds, propagate seedlings and participate in planting opportunities locally.	2–5 years	Telford & Wrekin Council, Small Woods and Shropshire Wildlife Trust
41	Promote community gardens, community orchards, parks, all green spaces, allotments and graveyards to improve levels of community ownership of them and ensure good levels of access	0–5 years	Telford Green Spaces Partnership and T&W Council
42	Promote growing vegetables and fruit, both in gardens and community gardens	0–5 years	Telford & Wrekin Council
43	Develop more community allotments and growing clubs to encourage more residents to grown their own food, helping reduce carbon dioxide from food production and food waste	2-5 years	Community groups and Telford & Wrekin Council
44	Explore becoming a Sustainable Food Borough www.sustainablefoodplaces.org	2-5 years	Partnership project
45	Promote Nation Farmers’ Union Achieving Net Zero 2040 Plan	0-10 years	National Farmers’ Union