Farmland in Cambridgeshire, currently under threat from East West Rail’s proposed railway line, has been granted County Wildlife Site status.
This farmland, known as Westfield, forms part of the 400-acre Lark Rise Farm, located near the villages of Barton and Comberton.
It is owned by the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT), a charity which advocates for sustainable farming practices.
The site’s new status follows a rigorous review by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Local Sites Panel, which recognises the land's ecological importance.
The charity has expressed hope that the new status would prompt East West Rail to reconsider its proposed route, which threatens the land.
Westfield Farm was selected as a County Wildlife Site for its assemblage of fourteen arable plants alongside crops.
The CRT manages the site of four fields under a regime of low-input, rotational cultivation which has allowed these plants to flourish.
This plant assemblage underpins an ecosystem which includes threatened farmland birds which breed on the site, such as the grey partridge and corn bunting.
Dr Vince Lea, conservation officer for CRT, said: “This recognition is a testament to the value of the land and the work we’ve been doing for over 25 years to nurture it for wildlife.
"I hope this will encourage East West Rail to reassess their plans. Their surveys have overlooked the ecological value of these arable fields, a clear flaw in their approach.”
Dr Lea also revealed that the next step is to nominate the site for consideration as a nationally significant site, following recommendations from conservationists.
With a score of 55 from records dating back to 2006, the site qualifies as being of national importance.
County Wildlife Sites are the most significant areas of semi-natural habitat outside statutory protected sites, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs).
Tim Scott, who farms Lark Rise, said the recognition was rewarding and as the result of 25-years of hard work at Westfield.
He said: “I hope that EWR will recognise arable biodiversity as endangered and accept this is a site of county significance and more and it is irreplaceable.
"With our Red-List revival, we are in the top one per cent in the country. This cannot be replicated.”
A spokesperson for East West Railway said: “Protecting the environment is a fundamental part of our decision-making and we're doing everything we can to avoid, reduce and mitigate negative environmental impacts to deliver a sustainable railway.
"We have been in contact with the farm's owners and will continue to update them as our design progresses."
