Project - Biosphere Sustainable Farming Award
Partners - FWAG South West and local farmers

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The FWAG South West Bronze Otter Trophy is awarded each year in celebration of the long term commitment to conservation in farming shown by their Devon members.

The Biosphere Sustainable Farming Award is offered to the highest scoring farm in the North Devon World Biosphere Area.

Winners of the Bronze Otter and Biosphere Sustainable Farming Award have shown their commitment to wildlife conservation, the protection of natural resources and pollution prevention, and their willingness and achievements in promoting conservation ideals and methods to other farmers, the local community and the public.

Bronze Otter Entry 2014
To express an your interest in entering the Devon Bronze Otter please complete the expression of interest on the FWAG SouthWest website. An adviser will then be in touch to discuss your entry.

Award Winner 2013

Jean Smyth of the 200 acre Town Barton Farm in East Worlington, beside the Little Dart.

Jean Smyth's Town Barton Farm in East Worlington, has been reverted from an intensively managed arable enterprise and now comes under a Higher Level Stewardship agreement. This has helped Jean to manage the species-rich fields along the Little Dart as buffer zones, fencing the river and returning some of the arable fields to grassland.

Town Barton Farm is an example of how small farms are adapting to changing times, pushing forward with environmental improvements and embedding what they do in the fabric of the local community. Jean's farm is also an example of how a farms place in the community is changing as she works closely with the village school and has created a path from the playground to the farm. She regularly gets involved explaining about wildlife and the farming system and her garden often becomes an outdoor classroom, while her small woodland is used as a Forest School.

Previous Biosphere Sustainable Farming Award winners are:

2011. Mr Robin Milton of Partridge Farm, West Anstey. A mixed farm on the edge of Exmoor.

2010. Mr Hefyn Llwyd of Taw Barton Farm, South Tawton. A sheep farm towards Dartmoor.