A Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) funded project on the south coast of Cornwall has achieved wide-ranging benefits for nature, community wellbeing, and sustainable food production.
Cornwall National Landscape team awarded Falmouth Food Co-op Community Interest Company £41,140 for the Loveland Community Field project with the aim of establishing a hub for community-led food production and environmental education, enhancing wellbeing and increasing biodiversity.
Falmouth Food Co-op Community Interest Company took on the large Loveland field a few years ago, after it had been let on a series of short-term tenancies to arable producers which left the soil at risk of erosion and polluting the Penryn River which borders the field. The Food Co-op volunteers had already worked hard to start improving soil health and were ready to take next steps to enhance year-round food production and reduce reliance on bought-in compost.
Volunteers build a wall on the Loveland field
Healthier soils and improved habitats
The Food Co-op volunteers developed a five-year conservation management plan to improve the whole site. At the outset, the grassland across was rank and dominated by coarse species. FiPL funding paid for equipment to improve management, enabling it to develop greater species richness. The less productive areas of the site have been enhanced to provide habitat for pollinators and small mammals.
Already one hectare of semi-improved grassland has been brought into appropriate management, 100 metres of Cornish Hedge has been brought into better condition, with 20 metres restored through a practical workshop delivered by CREST (Cornwall Rural Education and Skills Training).
The conservation management plan also covered improvements to soil health. The volunteers developed a rotational cropping system incorporating green manures. The FiPL funding paid for a new on-site composting clamp so that all organic waste could be returned to the ground. They also bought a two-wheeled pedestrian tractor with attachments for preparing new growing beds and to assist with management of the grassland. This has been instrumental in accelerating Loveland’s journey towards full organic certification and ended their reliance on bought in compost.
Cornwall National Landscape team have encouraged integrated landscape-scale working through the FiPL programme, and Loveland is now working with Sustainable Food Cornwall and, through that partnership, has installed a wildlife pond on the site.
Restoration of hedgerows and improvements to soil health through composting and green manures has already had a major impact, reducing erosion and flood risk, directly
Loveland Field is a welcoming space for the community
Improved access and community food growing
FiPL funding paid for a new accessible route into the site, meaning everyone in the local community can access the facilities. They have developed a community vegetable plot open to anyone, with regular sessions where local people can take home whatever is ripe and in season. New polytunnels now provide covered space for year-round food production and community activities so the service can continue through the isolating winter months.
Loveland can now easily welcome adults with learning difficulties and wheelchair users, supporting them to take part in volunteering and wellbeing activities. The team can accept referrals through a social prescribing scheme and have run a series of educational workshops including community BioBlitz events, volunteer growing days, and a visit from the local school.
Soil health has been improved and a new community vegetable plot is open to anyone.
A lasting legacy
The legacy of this project extends well beyond the physical improvements to the site. Loveland is now well set up for ongoing volunteer involvement and community events – including feasts, BioBlitz gatherings and skills workshops. The five-year management plan provides a framework for ongoing community consultation and feedback, ensuring that future development of the site continues to reflect the needs of the people and landscape.
Looking ahead, the Loveland team intends to expand its management of the less productive areas through further hedgerow restoration, pond creation and scrub management.
Food produced on the land is sold through the Falmouth Food Co-Op Grocery enabling local people to access fresh, nutritious produce. Loveland’s work represents a multifaceted approach to food security – increasing people’s access to nature and fresh, locally grown food, educating local young people about where food comes from, and ensuring that nutritious produce reaches those who need it most.
