About the trust
The Burnet Heritage Trust was established in 1999 for the purpose of protecting the wildlife of the Humberhead Levels, notably the wildlife of the clay farmlands located to the north of Doncaster.
The Trust currently manages approximately 47ha of land, mainly located along the valley of the River Went in the northern part of the claylands. All of this land is farmed and careful management has allowed the ecological improvement of hedges and pastures and, on riverside sites, the protection of wetlands. The majority of the land is registered under the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme (HLS) operated by Defra.
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A Mute Swan collects material for her nest on Topham Ings (© Simon Mitchell)
The Trustees are aware of the outstanding quality of the farmed landscapes north of Doncaster. In 1994, Doncaster MBC engaged consultants to examine the quality of landscape throughout the Metropolitan District. They identified six areas, within the Borough, which were regarded as Areas of Special Landscape Value (ASLV), among them being two areas of the claylands, namely Sykehouse & Fishlake, and Owston. Doncaster MBC proposed that the ASLVs be incorporated into the policies of the Council's Unitary development Plan but, sadly, protection of special landscapes has received less emphasis in recent planning policies.
Despite this set back, encouraged by the land management improvements which have been achieved on its own land and supported by local farmers over the past 12 years, the Trust is seeking to extend this approach throughout the wider Clay Farmlands area.
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In the years since Doncaster MBC commissioned their landscape assessment, parts of the fragile claylands have been damaged through inappropriate development and unsympathetic management. The Trust considers that application of the ASLV concept remains the best way of maintaining the existing heritage of the area and, in the longer term, providing better facilities for the main recreational uses which include cycling, walking, fishing, boating and wildlife watching etc. To achieve this, the Trust is seeking to work with other landowners and farmers in the claylands area.