“We will increase the biodiversity in our newly established
organic regenerative vineyard set amidst an area of
intensive agriculture in the Piddle Valley. The land is
already registered organic, the vines are in conversion.
We have planted 3,200 PIWI vines which are resistant to
mildew and thus require no, or significantly less, spraying
and fewer tractor passes. We now want to introduce new
mixed native hedgerows (165 m), new trees (Bird Cherry
x2 in the hedge which will act to attract Spotted Wing
Drosophila from the vines (a pest), a field maple to mark
the corner and agroforestry in terms of organic soft fruit
trees (see supplied sketch). We will additionally allow the
ground cover to flourish relying on what regenerates
naturally on this downland site.
We also aim to show that a vineyard can be carbon
positive and does not need to be a monoculture.”