Environmental
Environmental Management & Sustainability
The management of land in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way is paramount to the owners of the Matfen Estate. In recent years Matfen Home Farms has committed to a range of Environmental Stewardship schemes in order to preserve and protect habitat, and reduce Carbon emissions.
km of hedging managed across the estate
Trees planted in the last 30 years on the estate
km of historic stonewalling maintained
Supporting Nature
The UK has lost over 1.9 million acres of its natural grassland over 25 years” Therefore, Matfen Estates has committed over 300 acres of arable land to returning to grassland.
This management approach has seen 200 acres of arable land sown with Legume and Herb Rich Swards, and further 100 acres of land with historical features removed from tillage along with over 600 acres of grassland management with very low inputs to improve biodiversity and support nature.
Providing Habitats
Furthermore, 25 acres have been sown with plots growing wild bird seed mixtures to provide winter feed and around 100 acres of arable stubble is left fallow to provide winter habitat for ground nesting birds.
In the future we will look to manage more land in an increasingly environmentally sensitive way while still remaining a productive agricultural holding producing cereals, oilseeds, meat and timber.
Farming
Matfen Home Farms is a family business partnership operated by Sir Hugh Blackett, Lady Blackett and their son Henry Blackett.
Forestry
The estate manages the woodland which supplies the chip wood for biomass boilers for Matfen Hall Hotel and Halton Castle.