Horse riders’ protest plans to close town next week

They are protesting against the closing of a bridleway. Louise Harrison, a riding enthusiast from West Bank near Carlton, says, “We’re gradually being forced on to A-roads as, one-by-one, all of the bridle paths in the Selby area are being closed.

“We’ve now got to the point where the last bridleway in the area is due to close at the end of September, so we’ve started petitions and organised a protest to make our views known.”

The bridle path is on farmland that forms part of the 1,500 acre Aire and Ouse Estate managed by Tony Hinch and his father, Ronald. It was created ten years ago as part of the estate’s application to the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

“When you apply for the scheme, it’s a points-based system, so we thought that joining together farm tracks and a wood to provide a bridle path would up our points tally,” said Ronald Hinch.

“It was always a temporary measure. For us, the scheme comes to an end on September 30, so we’re removing the bridle path because, from then on, the onus would be on us to maintain it.

“It’s not in our interests to keep it open because, if we were to leave it in place indefinitely, there’s always the risk that it could become recognised as a legal right of way. That would mean that we’d never be able to cultivate it again.”

Mr Hinch says some of the six-metre “buffer strips” created on the edge of fields to encourage wildlife are also due to be removed at the end of next month.

His son, Tony, has already submitted an application to the Environmental Stewardship Scheme. If successful, the Hinch family are looking to introduce a variety of new wildlife conservation projects, such as sowing areas of land with wildflower mix to attract birds and insects.

David Shaw, Natural England Area Manager for North Yorkshire said, “The permissive bridleway on the Aire and Ouse Estate land has been funded under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and this ten-year agreement comes to an end on September 30.

“After this point, it is up to the discretion of the landowner as to whether or not they want to continue to provide permissive access for members of the public.

“Natural England is continuing to support the good environmental work of the Aire and Ouse Estate using Entry Level Stewardship, another element of the Environmental Stewardship scheme, which is open to all farmers.”

Environmental Stewardship is a two-tier scheme; all farmers and landowners can apply for Entry Level but only those who are invited are able to join the Higher Level. Natural England spokesperson Christine White explained this is due to the limited funding available. When asked about the removal of features such as buffer strips for wildlife around cultivated fields, she added: “There is still funding for buffer strips, but some people are removing them.”

FIRST-WAVE SCHEME ENDING

Many Yorkshire farmers have used funding that they received through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme to improve and protect wildlife habitat, and provide opportunities for people to enjoy the countryside.

Launched in 1991, the first wave is now coming to an end. It has been superseded by the Environmental Stewardship Scheme administered by Natural England. But there are fears that the change over is jeopardising the future of some projects. Almost 60 per cent of England’s agricultural land is now in Entry Level Stewardship (ELS).