The Land Heritage Trust

The Land Heritage Trust in Somerset own four farms. The Trust's aim is that they should be managed ecologically in perpetuity. All four farms are out as agricultural tenancies on normal conditions plus some added organic ones. The Trust visit and walk around each farm at least once a year. The Trust says that there is very little income left after their spending on the upkeep of buildings and other expenses. They also charge rents 20% below the market level in the first few years to help the farmer become ecological (or for longer periods if there is no premium for sales of organic produce in their area). The Trust writes:

Land Heritage is a registered charity launched in 1984. It shares with other environmental organisations a concern for the conservation of the countryside and the furtherance of research into, and public education about, organic husbandry. What is unique about Land Heritage is that it is pursuing these objectives through the direct ownership of agricultural land, farmed by tenant farmers.

'It is pursuing these organic husbandry objectives through the direct ownership of agricultural land, farmed by tenant farmers'

The advantage of permanent land ownership by a charitable trust is obvious. The work put in to achieve high organic fertility may rapidly be dissipated if the land is sold and returned to chemical farming and the restoration to organic status may take years of not very profitable struggle. Land Heritage proposes both to preserve organic land, and to help in the restoration process by charging appropriately reduced rents for the necessary period.

Land Heritage seeks to obtain farmland by gift or legacy or purchase and to build up a network of supporters whose contributions will initially fund the publicity and appeals on which expansion must depend.

Land Heritage Trust is at Wellington, Somerset - this is a complete and sufficient address - (tel 082347 7764), contact David Ursall or Hugh Flatt. An annual supporter's subscription costs L10 and includes newsletters twice a year.

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