THE contribution of farmers across the north of England to conservation and environmental improvement was recently recognised with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s prestigious Tye Trophy award.

One of the finalists was Hovingham farmer Mark Wilson, who has been involved in the countryside stewardship schemes for more than 15 years.

It involves a range of activities from setting aside parcels of land to encourage wildlife, creating grass margins around fields and looking after higher hedges to planting meadows with a mixture of plants to attract flora and fauna and wildlife bird plots.

These habitats are also important in attracting bees and insects and encouraging pollination.

Sarah Hogg, from Stephensons Livestock Centre, who nominated Mark for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society Tye Trophy, said: “I nominated Mark for this award as he works hard to combine his commercial farming alongside environmentally consciousness farming - not always easy to achieve.

“His farm is a great advertisement for British agricultural and the family farm.”

The Tye Trophy Award focuses on how conservation and environmental improvement can be achieved in a commercial farming setting.

Reflecting on the award, Mark said: “It’s nice to be recognised and despite some of the things the press say about farmers, we do look after the countryside and are custodians of the land.”

At the recent Great Yorkshire Show, Mark was presented with his 2018 Finalist Award for the North Yorkshire Area by the president of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Bill Cowling.