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Grŵp o ffermwyr yw’r Rhydwaith Ffermio er Lles Natur sydd wedi dod at ei gilydd i hyrwyddo ffordd o ffermio sy’n gynaliadwy ac yn llesol i fywyd gwyllt. ‘Da ni’n dod o wahanol gefndiroedd: ffermydd godro, âr, da byw a chymysg; mawr a bach; organig a chonfensiynol. Beth sy’n dod a ni gyd at ein gilydd yw’r angerdd i sicrhau bod ein cefn gwlad yn gynhyrchiol ac yn llawn bywyd gwyllt. Nid yn unig yw ffermio mewn ffordd sy’n gydnaws â natur yn elwa bywyd gwyllt a’r amgylchedd, ond dyma’r ffordd mwyaf cynhyrchiol a chynaliadwy o dyfu bwyd. Os hoffwch wybod mwy am yr hyn ‘da ni’n gredu ynddo, darllenwch ein maniffesto.
Dyma beth sydd gan rhai o’n aelodau i ddweud am ffermio er lles natur!
Cefnogwch Ffermwyr Natur Gyfeillgar!
Mae Sorcha Lewis yn ffermio yn Troedrhiwdrain, fferm fynydd organig 580ha yng nghanol Cwm Elan.
“Mae ffermio er lles natur yn bwysig iawn, yn enwedig i’r cyhoedd. Trwy warchod pryfaid sy’n peillio, rheoli cynefinoedd neu sicrhau fod pobl yn gallu mwynhau’r tirlun, gall amaeth gael effaith gadarnhaol ar yr amgylchedd, ac fe ddylai gael ei gefnogi. ‘Da ni wastad wedi ffermio mewn modd sy’n gydnaws â’r amgylchedd naturiol ac o’r herwydd mae ‘na amrywiaeth eang o blanhigion, pryfetach ac anifeiliaid i’w gweld yma. Dylai ffermwyr sy’n ystyried yr amgylchedd a bywyd gwyllt gael eu gwerthfawrogi a’u gwobrwyo.” Sorcha Lewis, Troedrhiwdrain
Mae Natur yn golygu Busnes!
Teithiwch ar hyd arfordir gogledd Cymru ac fe ddowch o hyd i Nant yr Efail, fferm fechan yn y bryniau ar gyrion Betws-yn-Rhos, ger Abergele. Gethin Owen sy’n rhedeg y fferm, ac mae’n credu’n gryf mewn hunan-gynhaliaeth. Mae’r fferm hefyd yn gyn-ennillydd y wobr Nature of Farming.
“Dwi’n cefnogi ffermio er lles natur yn rhannol gan ei fod yn gwneud synnwyr yn ariannol (a ‘dwi ddim yn hoff o wario pres!). Y gyfrinach yw bod mor hunan-gynhaliol â sy’n bosib drwy gynhyrchu cyn gymaint o fwyd, gwasarn a thanwydd, a phrynnu cyn lleied o ddwysfwyd a gwrtaith â sy’n bosib. Mae system o’r fath yn naturiol arwain at fferm fwy diddorol o safbwynt bywyd gwyllt. Ond mae’n debyg mai’r prif reswm yw’r boddhad a’r mwynhad dwi’n ei gael o weld yr amrywiaeth o blanhigion ac anifeiliaid sy’n ffynnu ar y fferm! Gethin Owen, Nant yr Efail
Mae’r fferm yn dod yn fyw.
Polly Davies sy’n rhedeg Slade Farm, fferm gymysg organig ger St Brides Major ym Mro Morgannwg. Mae’n fferm gynhyrchiol sydd yn llawn bywyd gwyllt.
“Mae ffermio er lles natur yn bwysig, oherwydd os ‘da chi’n edrych ar ôl y pethau bychain, mae’r pethau mawr yn llawer mwy gweladwy ac mae’r fferm yn dod yn fyw. ‘Da ni wedi bod yn rhan o gynlluniau amaeth-amgylcheddol ers tua 20 mlynedd, ac mae’n werth ei weld. Mae gennym ni’r adar ysglyfaethus mawr megis y dylluan wen, sydd yno oherwydd y mamaliaid bychan, sydd hwythau yno oherwydd y pryfetach a thrychfilod mae nhw’n eu bwyta. Mae’r system holistig yma’n gweithio’n wych o safbwynt y busnes a bywyd gwyllt. Mae pawb ar eu hennill! Polly Davies, Slade Farm
I ymuno â’r Rhwydwaith (yn rhad ac am ddim!) neu i ddod o hyd i fwy o wybodaeth, ewch i’n gwefan https://www.nffn.org.uk/ neu cysylltwch â ni ar info@nffn.org.uk. Rydyn ni’n gobeithio y gwnewch ymuno â ni i helpu i dynnu sylw at y ffaith y gall, ac yn wir y dylai, ffermio a natur fynd law yn llaw!
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The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) is a group of farmers who have come together to champion a way of farming which is sustainable and good for nature. We come from a range of farming backgrounds: dairy, arable, livestock and mixed; big and small; organic and conventional. What unites us all is that we’re passionate about ensuring our countryside is productive and bursting with wildlife. We believe that nature friendly farming is not only better for nature and the environment, but is also the most productive and sustainable way of getting food from our land. To learn more about what we’re all about, have a read of our manifesto.
Here’s what some of our members have to say about nature friendly farming!
Support Nature Friendly Farmers!
Sorcha Lewis farms sheep and cattle at Troedrhiwdrain, a 580ha organic upland farm in the heart of the Elan Valley.
“Nature friendly farming is important to the public. From protecting our pollinating insects, managing habitats, to ensuring the public can enjoy and appreciate the landscape, these farming communities are making a positive difference and should be supported. We have always worked within our constraints and for this we have seen many wonderful plant, insect and animal species. I feel farmers who consider the environment and wildlife should be rewarded and celebrated.” Sorcha Lewis, Troedrhiwdrain
Nature means business!
Travel the coast of North Wales and you’ll find Nant-yr-Efail, a small farm tucked into the hills just outside Betws-yn-Rhos near Abergele. Managed by Gethin Owen, the farm has a strong focus on self-sufficiency, and in 2011 the farm was selected as the Welsh winner for the Nature of Farming Awards.
I support nature friendly farming partly because it makes economic sense (and I don’t like spending money!). The key to viability is to be as self-sufficient as possible, producing as much of your own food, bedding and fuel as possible and buying in as little of the inputs as is possible. This naturally leads to an ecologically diverse system. But the main reason is probably the enjoyment and satisfaction I get from seeing the diversity of flora and fauna thriving on my own farm! Gethin Owen, Nant yr Efail
The whole farm becomes alive
Polly Davies farms at Slade Farm near St Brides Major, Vale of Glamorgan. It’s a productive organic mixed livestock and arable holding, and a haven for wildlife.
I think farming with nature is really important because if you look after the small stuff, the bigger stuff becomes more visible and the whole farm becomes alive. The farm’s been part of agri-environment schemes for about 20 years, and it’s so incredibly visual. You’ve got the large birds of prey that come in – the barn owls and little owls which are wonderful to see, and they are only there because you have the voles , and the voles have got the food because they’ve got their bugs and the bees and all the other bits that they eat, so it’s really important as a sort of holistic system that you support the small all the way through to the big.” Polly Davies, Slade Farm
To join the Network (at no cost!) or to find out more information, please visit https://www.nffn.org.uk/ or feel free to contact us on info@nffn.org.uk. We hope you will join us to help highlight that farming and nature can, and must, go hand in hand!
CGFFfC 2022 WRFFC 