Sheep farmers are being given the chance to lease a £1m coastal farm in Wales for £1 a year, in order to let the land recover and thrive, the Welsh National Trust has said.
Last year the National Trust bought Parc Farm on the Great Orme limestone headland in Llandudno in north Wales so it could help protect the landscape of the area.
This popular headland is home to species that exist nowhere else on earth and their future requires a new way of farming, according to the trust.
William Greenwood, the Great Orme General Manager, said that unless a very specific grazing regime is followed, they will not see “these most fragile habitats recover”.
“We’re looking for a tenant who sees a productive farm as one which produces conservation benefit as well as good healthy food.”
To give him, or her, a head-start, and the best chance of success, we’re taking away the financial pressure of having to cover the rent for the farm, grazing rights and farmhouse each year.
The new tenant that takes over the farm will also get a free flock of sheep, courtesy of the conservation charity Plantlife.
The National Trust is committed to nursing the natural environment back to health and reversing the alarming decline in wildlife across the UK.
Thinking of applying? Here’s what’s involved
The National Trust is looking for an individual with good farming experience, excellent shepherding skills and a genuine desire to make a difference for wildlife and nature through a dedicated focus on nature conservation and habitat management.
The successful applicant will also need to be a real ‘people’ person, and be enthusiastic about working with the many thousands of visitors to the Great Orme and all of the National Trust’s key partners.
Currently, there is no public access to Parc Farm, however, there is a viewing day for prospective applicants very soon – in order to secure a place on the day you will need to obtain a letting particulars pack.
Applicants will need to complete a standard application form included with the letting particulars pack.
The form requires applicants to provide details of previous farming and conservation experience, provide their proposals for managing the farm, and explain why they have chosen to apply.
The closing date for completed applications is Friday June 10, 2016 at 12:00 noon.
A National Trust panel of five representing the different elements of wildlife and nature, food and farming, visitor engagement and long term sustainability will shortlist applicants during the week commencing June 13.
Interviews will then be held on July 5, with a panel of representatives from the National Trust and partner organisations, it said.
The successful applicant will be able to pick up the keys to the farm at the beginning of October.