The countryside is full of amazing hidden facts;

 

·         Farmers manage 75% of the total land area of the UK – nearly 20 million hectares - or 40 million football pitches - and more than 85% of the countryside

·         There are 500,000 km of hedgerows in England and Wales – that’s enough to go 12 times round the earth

·         The average farmer spends almost 100 hours every year managing hedgerows

·         Hedges and beetle banks are important for bat navigation. Bats cannot navigate over featureless areas so by using hedges and beetle banks they can find their homes and food more easily.

·         Bees are vital for food production – introducing bee colonies to orchards can increase fruit yield by around 50-80%

·          In Britain, one farmer manages an area of crops about the size of a town, but with an army of helpers – one square metre of soil contains over 250 earthworms

·         Grass margins can contain up to 1000 insects per square meter that pollinate crops and reduce pests

·         Just one teaspoon of soil contains millions of organisms, such as fungi and bacteria that help feed plants.

 

Rules of the

 

Countryside

 

 

The Countryside is a place of beauty that is to be

enjoyed and preserved.  It is also a work place and

somebody's property.

 

Therefore, there are a number of rules that we must

adhere to, whether we be walking over farm land or

up the hills.  We must also remember that even

though the countryside is a beautiful and tranquil

place it is also a place of many hazards.

 

The Country Code

 

Farm Safety

 

Motorists and Horse Riders