Winchester Downs Cluster

Written By Rhianne Jacklin

The Winchester Downs cluster group comprises 36 farmers & land managers working together to improve wildlife and biodiversity on a landscape scale, covering an area of approximately 9,300 hectares to the South East of Winchester.  

The Winchester Downs Cluster is an independently funded group set up in 2018. The group meets regularly throughout the year to discuss a wide range of topics through farm walks, wildlife surveys and educational talks from a range of different experts.  

The landscape features a variety of habitats, including the chalk stream of the River Itchen, water meadows, calcareous grasslands, open arable land, woodlands, and hazel coppices. With the South Downs Way running through the centre of the area.   

The group's priorities are:  

  • Protecting soil and water  

  • Supporting farmland birds   

  • Landscape connectivity  

 Previous projects have included: 

  • Hedge planting and restoration 

  • Winter bird feeding  

  • Soil biology and carbon  

  • Landscape mapping  

  For further information, visit the cluster website: www.winchesterdownscluster.co.uk 

Rhianne Jacklin
Previous

Southern Streams Farmer Group
Next

Winchester to River Test Farm Cluster