Farmer gifts farm to Wildlife Trust

A farmer who gave away her entire farm so wildlife could flourish says she wants more visitors to come and see it. Susan Aglionby gifted the 38 acres of Gosling Sike Farm near Carlisle to the Wildlife Trust.

The trust has created eight new wildlife ponds to attract insects and birds but they are about to build a new path and will eventually create a visitors centre there.

It's not every farmer who would willing give away their farm, but that's what Susan Aglioby did.

She decided that gifting her farm to the Wildlife Trust was the best way to preserve it and the best thing for local wildlife.

Susan's farm would be a tempting target for house builders.

It sits in a narrow area of green belt between the village of Houghton and Carlisle, ideal land for development.

But now it's a haven for wildlife, with extensive new wetlands providing shelter for all kinds of insects, birds and mammals.

Susan's going to continue to farm the land and has a number of sheep and traditional long horn cattle, but it'll be in a way that helps not hinders wildlife.

She, and the trust, now have ambitions to bring in thousands of people to see what's been created by building a new footpath and eventually a visitors centre.

This is a rare example of farmers and wildlife experts not just co-operating together but sharing the same land, and the same vision.

It's unlikely that many land owners would follow her example but they surely can't can't disapprove of her aims.