Farmers have united to protect and enhance a beautiful stretch of land between the River Waveney and the River Blyth on the Suffolk coast.

The Waveney Hundred Farming Group covers 7,677 hectares between the two rivers. It will protect some of the UK's most important wildlife sites, linking the Broads National Park with the Suffolk Coast and the Heaths National Landscape (formerly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

The 23 farmers who make up the cluster operate in a landscape which is renowned for its beauty.

Members meet regularly to share ideas and deliver environmental benefits across their farms, while at the same time improving profitability from food production.

A field margin in the cluster (Image: Waveney Hundred Farming Group)

The Broads National Park is home to more than a quarter of Britain's rarest animals and plants, while the Suffolk Coast and the Heaths National Landscape is a diverse landscape, packed with wildlife.

Founder member Ben Blower - who chairs the group - sees the alliance as a clear sign that farmers are willing to take a leading role in improving the environment.

“The key to improving our rural landscape is to have an agricultural sector which is stable and profitable," he said.

Ben Blower (Image: Waveney Hundred Farming Group) “We realised that we had to take the initiative to put ourselves in the best possible position to take advantage of any new national policy and to attract local investment in delivering environmental improvements and increasing farming’s contribution to public well-being.”

Neighbouring farmer Robert Wright - who proposed the association four years ago - said food production is "not incompatible" with protecting and enhancing the environment but farmers needed the resource to do that successfully.

River Waveney at North Cove (Image: Waveney Hundred Farming Group)

“Promoting the environment has always been a key part of our business but we lacked connectivity with our neighbours in similar schemes," he said.

“We need to produce food efficiently in harmony with nature and without causing damage to the environment.”

The Waveney Hundred Farming Group - many of whom are members of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) - will engage with the public and businesses and help them to contribute towards environmental improvements in the area.

The farmers in the group believe that working with their neighbours will provide transformational opportunities for delivering benefits across the region.

This will include reducing habitat fragmentation, strengthening landscape character and identifying key opportunities for habitat creation and restoration, improvements in soil, air and water quality as well as educating the public.

Cows in a field in North Cove (Image: Waveney Hundred Farming Group)

Land managed by group members extends into three National Character Areas as defined by Natural England, namely the Broads, the Suffolk Coast and Heaths and the South Norfolk and High Suffolk Claylands.

This is an area rich in variety extending from the organic soils of the Waveney Valley flood plain grazing marshes and alder carrs through the productive heavier Beccles clays and the Hundred River Valley down to the lighter soils of the Blyth Valley.

The area incorporates extensive woodland as well as the Sotterley, Benacre and Henham estates with their attractive parkland settings.

By working together he group can now deliver landscape and wildlife corridors - and means more opportunities to access funding.

The group will benefit in the first three years from a facilitation agreement funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

They will be advised by independent environmental consultant Tim Schofield - formerly of Suffolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG).

This will help them provide the framework required as well as training for members.

They will be seeking investment from local industry and developers wanting to offset the impact of their work and from members of the public wanting to take a stake in promoting wildlife.

NFU regional policy manager for the East of England Charles Hesketh said: “It is great to see NFU members in Suffolk showing this initiative and working together to benefit the environment in a hugely important part of our region.

“Farmers across the country want to support the environment and help wildlife while delivering national food security.

“They are showing that food production and positive environmental work go hand in hand, with the right support in place.”