Letters: Keyhaven Natural Capital Scheme part of the erosion of out food growing

I WAS horrified to read in your paper (6th Dec) that the New Forest National Park, in conjunction with New Forest District Council and the land owner have joined together to remove some 605 acres of prime agricultural land from food production and turn it into a nature reserve or wilderness.

I believe, with due respect, that this is a wholly unwarranted step to be taken. We, as a country, import some 46% of our food.

Whilst 605 acres may seem small in comparison with overall agricultural land in the country, we are continually losing good agricultural land to wholly unnecessary and unwanted wind farms and solar panel farms, so certainly do not need to lose even 605 acres.

We must stop this invidious erosion of our food growing capacity

On a different note, has any thought been given as to how predator control is to be undertaken? If it is hoped ground nesting birds are to be encouraged to visit the site, foxes and magpie will need to be rigorously controlled.

And who will control human access onto the site?

Ian Davis
New Milton

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HAVING recently become aware of the Keyhaven Natural Capital Scheme reported in the Lymington Times (6th Dec) I feel certain matters relating to the scheme should be made available to the public.

The scheme will remove 605 acres of grade one and two agricultural land from farming production putting yet more strain on an already struggling agricultural sector.

Jack Durnell of HIWWT is quoted as saying: “This scheme shows how a commercial landowner can be incentivised to roll out a nature-based natural capital solution at scale.”

Let us look at this incentive:

Kingwell, owned by Alistair Emery, starts off with 605 acres of grade one and two agricultural land worth, at a generally accepted average value of £10,000/acre, total value £6,050,000.

As a result of putting this land into the scheme, he gains a reported 440 BNG units (the Kingwell website actually lists in excess of 1,200 units under Aubrey Farm) and 3,950 nitrate mitigation credits. Nitrate mitigation credits are priced on the Kingwell site at £3,500 per credit

• 440 BNGs at estimated £30,000 each – total £13,200,000

• 3,950 nitrate mitigation credits at £3,500 – total £13,825,000

Grand total: £27,025,000

Averaged over the 30 years, which I understand the scheme will run, this gives an annual income of £900,000 which would be an average annual return of 15% on the current land value. A good incentive to take good land out of farming production.

Alistair Emery is quoted as saying: “I can’t thank everyone enough who has helped to make this project happen.”

The press release only specifically mentions one species which will benefit from this scheme – brent geese, these are not native to this country, they migrate here in winter when it is too cold in their native Siberia. There is no shortage of brent geese.

The scheme also aims to help the insect population and coastal birds. Given the local fox and badger population, not to mention dog walkers and their dogs, I can’t see ground nesting birds or bees benefitting to any great degree.

Badgers dig up bees’ nests and eat the larvae, they are omnivores and will eat small mammals, insects, eggs, hedgehogs, just about anything. However, according to certain celebrities they can do no wrong and are protected.

They have no predators in this country.

MJA Duke
Milford