Q&A with Andrew Duggan

Andrew was the first farmer we worked with on our pilot project! Andrew farms near to Crossgates, Powys. The project involved improving an area of young woodland, complete with pond, and creating a wildlife corridor to connect two existing habitats.

Read all about the project over on our projects page!

Q: What made you want to start this project?

A: Our field boundaries (fences and hedges) had deteriorated overtime and were starting to show their age and not do their job; we needed to update them so they would be good for the next twenty years hopefully. We had heard about Wilba on the grapevine so thought we would find out a bit more.

Q: How was your experience working with the team at Wilba?

A: That was the best part about it (the project), it was very easy and straightforward. There was no need to fill out any online forms or go through any complicated applications. You meet someone from Wilba, face-to-face, and discuss what your intended project is and they give you an answer there and then. Wilba made the whole experience very simple with no stress. Very straightforward, that’s the best thing about it.

Q: What do you think makes Wilba different from other organisations?

A: Wilba is a very local organisation and it feels like their main priority is to help and work alongside farmers to improve the natural habitats in our area, in order to help the farmer, but also from a conservationist’s point of view.

Q: What benefits has the project had/will have?

A: The immediate benefits for us are the excellent field boundaries we now have and how much tidier they all look. Hopefully, the natural chestnut timber they used for fencing will last for 20/30 years. The double fencing will ensure that good hedgerows can develop for shelter for the livestock, but also this will provide some great natural pathways for lots of different wildlife between various woodland areas and because these woodlands have now been fenced off from sheep, lots of natural woodland plants can grow and develop.