A group of Lancashire farmers will test the power of herbal leys as part of a two-year trial aiming to curb the impacts of flooding.
Four farms are testing two herbal ley mixes and measuring the effect on water infiltration by the soil as part of the Innovative Farmers field trial.
The group are switching traditional grass leys for alternatives with longer-rooting, protein-rich alternatives that could help soils to better absorb water.
Recent research by Wyre Rivers Trust, which is co-ordinating the trial, found three-quarters of soils on 12 farms in the catchment were compacted to a degree that would stop rainwater infiltrating, increasing flood risks.
The two-year trial aims to see the longer roots of the herbal leys improve the soil structure at a deeper level, improving their capacity to store water and protecting the local community from flooding.
Additionally, the nutrient-rich swards could improve financial margins for livestock farmers by improving animal health and growth, reducing the need for artificial fertilisers, and increasing drought resilience.
Herbal leys also provide improved habitats for wildlife including pollinators, compared to single species leys.
Triallist Michael Kelsall, of Big Blindhurst Farm, a Preston-based dairy farm, said heavy rainfall had been a huge issue this year, so he's working to reduce any future impact.
He said: “Herbal leys are a cost-effective way for us to improve our business – if the fields don’t have standing water at the surface, we can start the grazing season earlier.
"We produce gelato and raw milk, so having nutrient-rich grass for the cows is also an easy way to increase productivity.
“This is part of a wider project, planting trees along the river and installing hedgerows – all of this helps, but herbal leys are the simplest and quickest way to future-proof the farm.”
The Wyre Rivers Trust will gather data in the trial, which will see farmer’s fields analysed to see how absorption levels are affected by the herbal ley treatment.
The farms also have access to the trust’s soil health model, which gives farmers insight in to how their soil performs and can be used to model the effectiveness of growing different crop types.
Innovative Farmers manager Rebecca Swinn said the research could provide insights that would benefit any UK farm prone to flooding.
“Natural flood management schemes often fail to recognise the value of options like herbal leys – the research from these trials will contribute vital evidence to their effectiveness," she said.
“If these trials show long-term improvement in soil structure, it could allow the farmers access to funding from either government or private companies to deliver flood mitigation.
“Increasing water absorption on fields also means lower risks of flooding for other local areas, so the findings will also benefit local communities who are suffering the impacts of flooded farms."
