FWAG SouthWest worked with CCRI to produce these four case studies of farms on the floodplains of Gloucesteshire.
Debbie manages Norton Court Farm, nestled in the Severn Vale of Gloucestershire. Much of the floodplain land here is adjacent to a nature reserve, making it an important spillover habitat for visiting wildfowl and wading birds during flood periods. The floodplain land is an integral part of the farm as the permanent pastures and hay meadows provide an important source of livestock feed alongside promoting wildlife
2. Waterhay Farm, situated between Cricklade and Cirencester, is a 75ha diversified family-run beef farm which prioritises pasture-based grazing, biodiversity, and selling direct to customers through their meat box scheme.
3. Barrow Farm is situated in Sandhurst, a small village just outside Gloucester. Rob has multiple blocks of floodplain land. On the main farm, around 25% of the land is floodplain land. This is managed in one of two ways depending on its suitability: extensive grazing and hay cuts and intensive grassland.
4. Chamberlayne Farms is situated in Maisemore, which is around 2 miles north of Gloucester. The business includes land in three distinct floodplain areas, including on Persh Farm, which is fed by the rivers Severn and Leaden and is the focus of this factsheet. The farm contains both arable land (70%) and grassland (30%). A key challenge faced on the floodplain land is balancing management to account for flooding, soil type, weed burdens, and profitability.