Demand UK funding for vital farmer conservation work

Some of the biggest unsung heroes of conservation efforts in the UK are actually our farmers. Thanks to EU subsidies, many UK farmers are engaged in vital work to protect endangered species. However, funding for this work is now set to dry up due to the UK leaving the EU. It is vital that the government commits to providing subsidies for farmers to allow for ongoing conservation efforts. Please sign this petition to ask that Defra (The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)  ensures that farmland conservation projects in the UK continue to receieve funding after we leave the EU.

Schemes where conservationists and farmers collaborate, such as in the creation of pig farm nesting spots for the rare Spotted Curlew, are a vital tool in fighting the impacts of human developments and climate change. The curlew project is supported by EU agri-environment schemes, and farmers are compensated for the land they sacrifice. But now the RSPB says it is struggling to find farmers to work with because it is not clear whether they will be funded after Brexit, and farmers need to plan their land use well in advance.

It is vital that the government establish support for farmer-conservationist work soon, to ensure that farmers remain involved in these vital projects and are able to plan for the land use. Please sign this petition to demand that Defra take responsibility for this pressing issue. If enough of us sign it will be clear that conserving our precious and unique wildlife is high on the public's agenda post-Brexit.