Family farmers the Warburtons are celebrating a special award for wildlife on their Frodsham and Kingsley farmers

Feb 18 2010 Chester Chronicle

Family farmers the Warburtons are celebrating a special award for wildlife on their Frodsham and Kingsley farmers

A FARMING family has won an award for working to preserve the countryside and wildlife on their land in Frodsham and Kingsley.

A silver trophy was presented by the Cheshire Farmers Competition Society to brothers Geoff and Graham Warburton and their wives, Gill and Liz, for their careful stewardship of 850 acres of land at Hatley Farm, Frodsham, and Depmore Farm, Kingsley.

Liz Warburton said: “The award was for all our hard work over the years to encourage wildlife, especially barn owls, red-listed farmland birds and water voles, to our farms.

“It’s important that farmers demonstrate and communicate to the general public exactly what we do best, which is producing high-quality food; but at the same time care for the countryside.”

The Warburtons – third generation farmers of mainly beef, corn and potatoes – were given the award by the 170-year-old society, representing local authority and agricultural groups, and was judged by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds following a survey of their farms.

Both farms support sites of biological interest and the Warburtons have increased wildlife on their land by enhancing environmental features, such as ponds, trees and hedgerows.

They have planted wildflower mixes to produce pollen and nectar for wild birds, butterflies and bees.

Bird boxes have been erected to encourage tree sparrows and bats, and there are two boxes at each farm to encourage resident barn owls to breed.

Areas in arable fields are also left unsown for ground nesting birds like lapwing and skylark.